If there is one phrase clients have said to me over the years (besides “help me” and “thank you”), it’s this: “Mark, I know you’d tell me to be nice, but. …“ There are variations. “I didn’t do that the Hip Socket way.” Or, “I wasn’t very nice.” My goal in this post is to share one basic fact with …
How to take employees from checking the box to thinking like managers
A listener’s question: How do you help a good team go from checking the box to adapting in the moment? To start developing your employees, start with why. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes? Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or Apple … or watch below.
Price is right: Price’s Law will tell you where to spend your time
It’s the closest our podcast will ever get to math. There is a simple equation that you have seen play out again and again in teams. It closely mirrors research from the Gallup organization–and it tells you exactly what percentage of time you should be spending with each of your employees. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes? Email …
Habits in the workplace
Make of this what you will: James Clear‘s best-seller, “Atomic Habits,” has helped so many people because it seems do-able. That is, you can have powerful results just by making small, daily changes. What if you did that with your workforce? A famous Victorian educator argued as such: The formation of habits is education, and education is the formation of …
How is working with you better than working with AI?
We used to ask customer-facing team members, “How is working with you better than going online?” Now the question for everyone is, “How is working with you better than working with AI?” Mark taunts our future AI overlords. Mike has further treasures to reveal from his experiments with AI. It’s impressive–and scary. Are all of our jobs in danger? In …
Your team needs a story time?
A Wall Street Journal column shared the research behind how reading aloud to students can overcome losses they suffered during pandemic shutdowns. It’s a practice Victorian teachers, classical education proponents and home schoolers have known for years. (See: Read-Aloud Revival. See also: Mark’s amazing wife.) Mark thinks it’s a practice you need, too. Listen in for the benefits …
How different industries are attracting skilled labor
The skilled labor shortage touches many industries. Here’s a perspective (a panel in video and article forms) from the custom integration industry. (I used to handle PR for panelist Paul Starkey’s previous firm.) What caught my attention: We have to operate out of an abundance mindset. If you think technicians (of whatever stripe) are scarce, you are desperate for anyone …
Coaching feedback tips for kids and adults
Coaching is as simple as providing a child with feedback on his or her drawing. This simple metaphor can help you change your coaching habits–and take some pressure off. You can listen to an episode sharing insights from “Coaching Amplified” here. Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes? Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or Apple … …
WAS YOUR NEW EMPLOYEE’S BEST DAY HIS INTERVIEW DAY? TESTING FOR SKILLS
You had a good feel about him. You even used modern interviewing techniques to select the right kind of hire. But a dud slipped through anyway. Are you testing for skills? Questions? Comments? Ideas for future episodes? Email Mike and Mark. Listen here … subscribe on Spotify, Amazon or Apple … or watch below.
The right question could save a life.
DISCLAIMER: This episode features the observations of two coaches and is not psychiatric or legal advice. We hope, as the episode mentions, to connect you to life-saving resources for a nightmare scenario. Coaching and managing can uncover life-threatening situations. What do you do if you suspect suicidal thoughts in the workplace? The right question could save a life. …