The right conversations

The right conversations

You are a dedicated supervisor, and you take the time to engage in conversation with your people on a regular basis. Great job! Yet you may not be having the right kind of discussions – the ones that build employee engagement. Kristi Hedges, who wrote Four...
Questions as a super power

Questions as a super power

Tom is a new supervisor who wants to do the right thing for his direct reports. When he began his leadership journey, he thought his job was to have or find the right answers. He’s beginning to understand that his real job is enabling others to learn and grow,...
Prep for a tough conversation

Prep for a tough conversation

Seth and Sami consistently butt heads over how to move their work forward. Sami knows they need to talk, and that the conversation will be emotional and contentious. This discussion needs to happen, so that she and Seth get past their issues to make progress on their...
I hate to tell you this, but…

I hate to tell you this, but…

Susan believed that allowing her team to work flexible hours was good for the company and helped people balance work and life. When corporate decreed that employees had to work a more set schedule, Susan struggled with supporting her people and falling in line with...
Word choice and why it matters

Word choice and why it matters

Today’s guess blogger is Jamal Yearwood, Albion College senior and Humanergy intern.   Anyone who has found themselves lost in a molecular biology class can agree. The words we use either build comprehension or deepen confusion. In the office there’s always...
Low tech brainstorming

Low tech brainstorming

Crowd-sourcing, mind-mapping and apps can be valuable tools when you need to tap the wisdom of many minds. The fine folks at Brains on Fire remind us that we don’t need technology to build upon one another’s ideas. This tech-savvy organization keeps it...