Look at your calendar for the next few weeks. How much of what’s on it did you deliberately choose, and how much is there because it was there last month? The recurring meeting, the report someone requested in February, the project that keeps getting another extension. Each may have served a useful purpose when it began. The question is whether it still does. Last week, we discussed fourth-quarter priorities and recognizing what your people have accomplished. This week, let’s look at a few … [Read more...]
The Fourth Quarter Deserves a Fresh Look
Photo by Theo Decker It’s October. Three months remain in the year, and somewhere in your organization someone is saying, “We need to finish strong.” Fair enough. There are commitments to honor, customers to serve, and goals people have worked toward all year. Finishing strong is a reasonable expectation. But before you ask everyone to pick up the pace, have you taken a fresh look at what you’re asking them to accomplish? Quite a bit may have changed since January. A customer you … [Read more...]
Are We Shaping the Future of Work Together?
Every powerful new tool changes work in two ways. First, it changes how a task is performed. Then, over time, it changes what people are capable of doing. We’re beginning to see both changes with artificial intelligence. You may have read about new AI models that can predict protein structures and use computer models to screen promising molecules during the early stages of drug discovery. Laboratory testing and clinical trials are still essential, but researchers may be able to narrow the … [Read more...]
Are We Punishing Efficient Employees?
Most leaders would say they want their people to work efficiently. We invest in technology, improve processes, eliminate unnecessary steps, and hold meetings about increasing productivity. We encourage people to find better ways to get things done. Then an employee figures out how to accomplish in four hours what used to take eight. What do we do? We give them four more hours of work. Think about the message that sends. The employee who becomes more efficient isn't necessarily … [Read more...]
Are We Measuring Presence or Performance?
For years, the workplace offered leaders a reassuring picture. Employees arrived in the morning, sat at their desks, attended meetings, and remained there until the workday ended. Everyone could see that work was taking place. Or could they? If an employee is sitting at a desk for eight hours, what exactly has been proven? Being present has never guaranteed that someone is productive. A person can spend an entire day moving between meetings, responding to emails, and appearing extremely … [Read more...]
What Happened to the Deal?
For a long time, there was an unwritten agreement between employers and employees. You showed up. You worked hard. You did your job well. You supported the organization, and in return, you expected the organization to support you. Nobody necessarily handed you a document explaining the arrangement. It was simply understood. Stay with the company. Do good work. Take on more responsibility. In return, there would be opportunity, reasonable security, increasing compensation, and perhaps … [Read more...]