Max DePree, former CEO of Herman Miller, once discovered factory workers discussing his compensation. They believed he deserved more than they earned, but felt the disparity had become excessive. Rather than reacting defensively, DePree listened, researched, and prayed. He eventually established a policy that the CEO’s compensation could not exceed twenty times the average factory worker’s wage. Over time, that ...
Vanessa Van Edwards, a Harvard behavioral researcher, shared at the most recent Global Leadership Summit many great workplace insights. One insight, backed by research, was that if you sit people near high performers, those people’s performance will increase 15% on average. But if you sit them next to low performers, their performance will decrease 30%. Where you place people ...
Keith was doing a great job of growing sales in a retail chain of stores and was highly trusted by the CEO. When the company lost their controller, the CEO appointed Keith as the new controller. When I entered as a consultant, Keith had two offices full of unopened bills and accounting records. Unfortunately, the IRS forced them into bankruptcy shortly thereafter. Stewardship is often equated to financial management, but also important is the stewardship ...
In his book “Second Wind for the Second Half,” Patrick Morley describes questioning the team he hired to paint basketball markings on the driveway around his garage basketball hoop. When the team seemed to take a long time to get started, Morley asked if there was a problem. The team foreman said they were checking and rechecking measurements before they started work. “We’ve learned from experience that unless you have the right starting point, ...
Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, was recently sued by some employees because of the content of an Easter message she sent to her staff. Her email discussed Jesus’ resurrection as being the foundation of our faith. The offended employees claim that this was government-sponsored religious coercion. This case will likely be a significant test of how far the ...
Less than half of the leaders responding to a recent Gallup survey think they are exceptional at fostering accountability within their teams. Managers serving under these leaders gave their leaders even lower scores. It can be difficult to create a culture of accountability at work. Holding people accountable can require difficult conversations, stressful interactions, and unpopular corrective actions. Yet ...
According to Gallup research, managers account for over 70% of the difference in employee engagement levels. Stated differently, the relationship your employees have with their direct supervisors will have the biggest impact on how well your employees engage in their work. Many leaders are masterful at deceiving their boss about their true performance. One major challenge for CEOs is how ...
In business, there are times when you may invest in an employee, only to learn they are leaving for a new opportunity. It’s hard not to feel betrayed and disappointed. The disappointment can be even greater when their departure leaves you with little return on your investment. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas split over their disagreement about Mark. Mark disappointed ...
Even if you’re not a CEO, at any level you can still have incredible influence on your team. A recent Harvard Business Review article titled, “Every Team Needs a Super-Facilitator,” highlights longtime NBA player, Chris Paul, as a super-facilitator. Four times he’s joined a new team and within two years each team experienced their best record ever. Chris Paul is ...
In its annual State of the Global Workplace, Gallup reported the global percentage of engaged employees fell from 23% to 21% in 2024, nearing the recent low levels of engagement experienced during the pandemic. Digging deeper, the data revealed that manager engagement drove the decline, falling three points from the prior year. Engagement of managers under age 35 fell by ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
