I used to work for a company that hired a lot of translators. But they weren’t linguists.
The role was one of “forward support representative.” A former soldier would serve as liaison between the engineers designing new technology and the soldiers using it.
Why was this job even created? Because engineers and soldiers do not speak the same language. Sure, in the U.S. they’re all speaking English, but they are not speaking the same language.
“Just tell me how I can improve – I don’t need hugs or campfire songs to do my job!”
Ever hear a seasoned team member say something like that? Or said it yourself?
I’ve seen the value of both critique and encouragement. But what’s the right balance?
Are you a good delegator?
As leaders, our tasks are endless – and range from crucial to trivial. A few are things only we can do. What if we delegated the rest?
Here’s 6 helpful actions:
Are you glad your employees work for you?
It’s easy to get caught up in the performance or development of team members. But what communicates the message, “I’m glad you’re here. You add value to this team”?
I’m reading a great book on ethics and enjoyed its chapter on common logical fallacies. We’re all quite prone to some of them, and “You do it Too!” seems to sum up contemporary political “dialogue.” One fallacy in particular caught my eye – the Composition Fallacy: “Assuming that a group possesses the characteristics of its individual members.”
Or, “My All Star Team will be awesome because it has awesome players.”
My psychologist once told me to make an org chart for my business. I might have laughed out loud, since there’s one full-time employee.
But the exercise was profound. Like many small business owners, I wear a lot of hats. CEO, Travel Agent, Writer, and Marketing Director are just a few. I often jam several on my head at once, forgetting that they fit best one at a time. Such hat confusion can lead to wasted time, lack of focus, and mis-allocated resources.
It moves events from future to past in the momentary blink of the present. It’s a universal fixed cost, resisting every attempt to budget it. Sometimes an asset, time is usually a liability.
My friend asked a great question….
Is facilitation a useful tool for leaders themselves? I think so.
Facilitation simply means “to make easy.” You’ve probably seen examples that both supported and assaulted this definition.
Delivering 360-degree feedback can feel like handling a live grenade – especially if it’s a new thing for your organization. Many – I’d venture to say “most” – organizations do not have cultures in which candid, real-time feedback is both welcomed and freely given. Without that culture, we’re often left wondering how formal delivery of feedback will go.
Outsider Consulting emerged from lessons of leadership success and failure on the battlefield and in business.
Now, Outsider helps leaders map their own routes toward greater success.
Outsider’s home office is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, but we travel all over the world for events and speaking engagements.
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