workplace management

Attention all leaders: New criteria for raising issues in the workplace, no solution necessary!

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:40:22 -0500

Each and every day I work with leaders to try to help them understand that much of what they have come to accept as “best practices” or “solid beliefs” in leadership philosophy are not only untrue, but keeping them from creating far greater results in their organizations.

Leaders, There Really Are Some Stupid Questions!

Cy Wakeman — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:12:51 -0400

Over this past year of presenting the concepts of Reality Based Leadership at conferences nationwide, I have often heard leaders unconsciously, routinely spouting off cliches that not only remain untested but that are absolutely false. Worse yet, they are encouraging a huge waste of scarce team resources.

A favorite cliché of mine to bust right in front of their eyes is, “There are no stupid questions.”

Leadership Cliché Challenged and Busted – There is no “I” in TEAM replaced with There is definitely an “I” in WIN.

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:36:46 -0400

Have you ever noticed that many of the leadership clichés we live by are not living up to their reputation? Leaders flippantly throw around sound bites of so-called “wisdom,” picked up at conferences or from leadership books and use them without truly questioning whether or not they are true or even useful. Bit by bit, these clichés have reached the status of “conventional wisdom” – widespread beliefs that are not only untested but untrue – also causing havoc in the workplace.

Leaders, beware: the hottest new excuse for lack of results – “trust issues”

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:21:22 -0400

Recent research has cited that employees who trust their senior management bring back 108% value to their shareholders. On the other hand, employees who do not trust their senior executives only bring 66% back to their shareholders.

My advice to leaders: Play favorites and get results!

Cy Wakeman — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:31:50 -0400

In our quest as leaders to be respectful of legitimate differences our employees have, it appears that we have become a very careful, hesitant, and nearly comatose group. A great number of “leaders” have begun to pretend that all employees are created equal and are delivering equal results and value to the organization – when the reality is actually quite different.

Does taking a sabbatical equal job sabotage?

Cy Wakeman — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:51:49 -0400

You probably heard of them in college – many of your favorite professors took a semester off to travel the world, do research or write a book. Now that you're in the real world, you could use a sabbatical, too – but is taking one a good move for your career? From an HR perspective, sabbaticals are a creative and kinder strategy to survey the workforce for those who are able and willing to volunteer for time off in order to avoid being forced to furlough unwilling workers.

Is a sabbatical right for you?

How Does GPA Stack Up in the Real World?

Cy Wakeman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:54:07 -0400

You might ask yourself, how important is my grade point average when searching for a job?

In some aspects – it is not to be overlooked. If the applicant has recently graduated, is seeking entrance into a top corporation, is in a highly competitive job market or in a highly technical field, then GPA (grade point average) remains extremely important even though it is not always the best predictor of future performance. For other opportunities, GPAs are being valued less, with the candidate’s potential for valuable future contributions weighted far greater.

Fighting Back Against the Office Bully

Cy Wakeman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:05:28 -0400

You remember in grade school when the bully left you in the dust on the playground without a lunch? You’d like to think that now that you’re an adult, all of that drama was left on the playground. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Those bullies on the playground are now working with you in the corporate world.

A guide to dealing with resistant employees

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:25:42 -0400

Where, oh where has my willing employee gone? And where did all of these irrelevant and resistant employees come from?

The No. 1 question I hear from managers and leaders is, “How do I deal with resistant employees?”

Stopping pandemic panic: how to address swine flu concerns in your organization

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:49:20 -0400

The threat of a pandemic is on the minds of many business leaders as of late. The focus has come off of the business once again to be placed on the many “what ifs” posed by recent health threats. The truth is, leaders need to be mitigating risks every single day, not just when the media escalates or over exaggerates a potential threat. The issue at hand is not the actual threat posed, but poor leadership habits being exposed by the possibility of yet another form of risk to the business.

Results vs. Excuses: Which one would you choose?

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:28:44 -0400

Many of today’s business leaders are publishing a long list of reasons, stories and excuses about why they aren’t getting the results they desired or even the results they promised. They don’t even have to be creative or dishonest in their attempts to justify their shortcomings: too few resources, talent shortages, increased regulation, declining margins, losses on investments, decreased consumer confidence and demand – all seemingly true “facts,” but not the true cause of why they didn’t get results.

Why empowerment without accountability is chaos at work

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:32:06 -0400

Economic downturns are fertile ground for soul-searching and revisiting the proposed ROI on all business activities. I am amazed that some HR business activities are immune from the great review. It is almost considered blasphemy to question conventional HR practices such as employee satisfaction surveys or employee relations efforts. Leaders that question the true value and impact on culture of these activities are seen, at times, as demonic in the HR ranks.

No retreat, no surrender. Lead on

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:03:25 -0400

Across the nation, there seems to be a new mantra, “Stop all action!” Leaders and their teams are hunkering down and discontinuing all the basic actions necessary to move businesses forward – producing, implementing, innovating, traveling, hiring, training, rewarding, etc. This lack of movement is stagnating everything from the market to our own businesses. One thing we’re forgetting is that cutting back doesn’t mean holding back, it means focus.

Go ahead, use those evil powers for good: Unite your team through negative brainstorming

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:16:11 -0400

Times are tough, the chips are down, your team’s morale is at an all-time low and now this: another decision made on high and handed down for your team to implement. You want to be a positive leader and rally the troops, but the idea has obvious flaws and your team is circling the wagons of resistance. Now what?

Want job security? Check your ego at the door.

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:45:01 -0500

For those of you praying to keep your jobs and to survive the now rampant layoffs, here’s a tip: Work to make your contributions valuable.

A wake-up call for 2009: Less talk, more reality-based action.

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:42:13 -0500

It’s no secret that times are tough. It’s very possible that if you’re the leader of an organization or company, you have a few major blows coming your way in 2009. Morale is dropping, hope is fading, oversight and micromanaging are increasing and, worst of all, leadership is vanishing!

Achieving the “impossible”: How to get a raise in a down market

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:51:10 -0500

This year you have worked hard and paid your dues, in really tough circumstances. So should you be asking for a raise in a down market? That depends, but not on what you may think…

The real cause of conflict among colleagues

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:55:15 -0500

In Reality-Based Leadership™, personalizing conflict is a luxury we can no longer afford! A great number of leaders put themselves in the position of judge and jury during interpersonal or team conflicts – deciding right and wrong, doling out verdicts and issuing consequences. In times of conflict, what your followers need most from you is not empathy. They need you to get real, step up, and help them see their circumstances differently so that they can create better professional relationships and generate better results.

Feedback at work: Embracing your reality for growth

Cy Wakeman — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:42:37 -0500

If you’ve recently received some feedback from your boss, your co-workers or your client in the form of less-than-desired results, welcome the news! It’s the very next thing to work on to propel your self into the next level of success.

Partygoers beware: What not to do at the holiday office party

Cy Wakeman — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:53:38 -0500

Off with their heads! On to results.

Cy Wakeman — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:54:24 -0500

How do Reality-Based™ Leaders best contribute during headcount reductions?

In these challenging times, many leaders are seeking to reduce expenses through the reduction of head count. While it is important to ensure that the resources of the organization are being tightly managed, the organization’s talent still needs to be led. Reality-Based™ Leaders lead first and manage second.

Fighting the Facts -- How's that Workin' for Ya?

Cy Wakeman — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:02:24 -0400

A new revolution in leadership is brewing and is coming to be known as Reality-Based Leadership. A Reality-Based Leader is one who is able to quickly see the reality of the situation, conserve precious team energy, and use that energy instead to impact reality.

Reality-Based Leaders simply refuse to argue with reality.

Reality Check – Looking for a Few Great Leaders

Cy Wakeman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:43:29 -0400

We are certainly in challenging times in our business world today. We have been in challenging times in the past and – let me make a profound prediction – we will be faced with challenging times again at some point in the future. Here’s the reality check: the fact that times are challenging is not the source of our pain. The source of our pain is the absence of great leadership based in reality.