Advice for transforming leadership, culture, Curiosity, and communication from Beth Wonson
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I’ve been writing this weekly email consistently since sometime in 2010. Can you believe it? That is approximately 728 email communications! I would estimate that in that time, I’ve missed maybe 10 issues. I sure have a lot to say.The reason I write the weekly email is because my mission is to help organizations, leaders, and teams transform their work environments into places people want to be. Places where they feel seen and heard, and where they can use their unique strengths and talents. And to help people understand how they individually and collectively contribute to the good of the…
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Taking Action When Facing Chaos
Events such as funding cuts, economic downturn threats, competition, politics, civil unrest, and even pandemics can bring a hurricane-level of chaos to teams and organizations. With a new “hurricane” seemingly forecasted every day, and new worries constantly arising, how can your organization prepare?
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The secret to holding people accountable
Managers and supervisors who are bogged down in chasing, cajoling, bribing, or threatening others to be accountable are the same managers who are soon overwhelmed, exhausted, and dissatisfied with their jobs. Managers who establish accountability as one of the norms for being a valued and successful employee will spend less time micromanaging their staff and more time empowering, developing, and rewarding their staff.
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Why we use experiential education
Adults learn best when the content is relevant to them and they are able to actively participate as part of the learning. What worked for my recent client was the interactive nature of an activity we call “coaching fishbowls”. Fishbowls are when two people practice applying what they’ve learned thus far in front of their peers. One person is the coach and another person is being coached. Everyone else is observing. The client reported that not only did the feedback session benefit everyone from a learning perspective, but they have since discussed how to apply the fishbowl feedback process to…
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The Key to Retaining Solid Employees
It’s easy to forget, especially with experienced new hires, that adjusting to an entirely new work environment is often quite unsettling and challenging. For many, it is more challenging than the actual work itself. No matter how impossible it may seem to spare that time, the initial investment is well worth the result: retaining a solid new employee.
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Strategic Planning and Workplace Culture are Equally Important to Your Mission
You can have all the right processes, procedures, and skills in place, but without communication, empathy, and trust, the work is not getting done as effectively or as powerfully as it could be. It doesn’t matter how clear and admirable your strategies are if you’re lacking a positive culture. And it doesn’t matter how positive your culture is if you’re lacking clear strategies. Creating that alignment can be tricky, so when I facilitate for clients, I rely on my Navigating Challenging Dialogue® Approach to Strategic Dialogue.
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Retain Employees By Building Trust
Carlo was a recent hire to a manager position in a company that had just come through a year of difficult leadership change. Carlo had successfully held a management position elsewhere, and this was a step up. But according to his supervisor, Carlo was having some challenges in this new position. What was missing for Carlo was time with his boss to integrate into the work environment, set expectations, and understand the culture of the working relationship.
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Grace is in the Space: Embrace the Pause
Is there something you are so passionate about that you have an abundance of great information to share? Do you love sharing and are deeply invested in other people learning as well? That is an amazing and remarkable gift. Your synapses are firing and each statement you make triggers another piece you want to share. It is an amazing feeling. Contrary to what you may feel at the moment, it’s actually time to embrace the pause rather than go faster. Taking a pause may conflict with the energy and excitement you are feeling, but here’s an exercise that will help…
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Frustrated by Broken Expectations?
When you speak in generalities and use terms like “professional conduct,” you aren’t being clear about what you are expecting and why. The lack of clarity makes it nearly impossible for the people who are trying to fulfill your expectations to do so. And when you do clarify, if you aren’t open to dialogue and feedback about these kinds of subjective expectations, you are likely to be met with backlash and lose an opportunity to learn and expand your own lens on the world.
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Leveling up Leadership and Culture Through Healthy and Candid Communication
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