employee retention story

The Inquiring Leader: How five managers asked employees questions and avoided the exit interview

From Mike and Mark’s new book, “The Inquiring Leader:” How five different leaders used questions—not counteroffers—to retain employees ready to resign. Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We’d love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark. (And buy the book here!) Spotify Apple Amazon How to retain employees without a raise Coaching …

monitor kaizen progress

Better at being better: Continuous improvement culture is a habit, not a finish line

We conclude our series on fostering a culture of continuous improvement by talking about how it needs to be … continuous! You need regular check-ins that look at progress through three different lenses. And there are pitfalls to avoid when you do that.  Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We’d love to hear …

Too many ideas? Not enough time? We can help!

Better at being better: Too many ideas? Not enough time? We can help.

In our ongoing series on developing a culture of continuous improvement, it’s time to start filtering all of those ideas you’ve collected. If you are overwhelmed, take a pruning lesson with this episode: There are many prioritization techniques and time management strategies, such as the Eisenhower Matrix and the MoSCoW method. Improve your strategic decision-making by focusing on high-impact activities …

Put your ego aside

Put your ego aside: Your people can help you “be better at being better”

In our series on developing a culture of continuous improvement–as Seth Godin says, “being better at being better”–it’s time to share how you FIND those improvements. How do you create an idea bucket … with a tap? Mike has lots of experience getting teams to share their ideas.  Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your …

Beyond words on the wall: We get better when we align with our values

If talking about corporate values makes your eyes roll, this episode is for you. A culture of continuous improvement requires that you uncover your DNA: your values.  Defining them–and the stories behind them–lead to an organization that can live them out. The hosts share several exercises you can use to uncover those values.  Hat tip to “Co-Active Coaching,” “Start with …

Vision: See the future so you can be the future

If you want to “be better at being better,” you need a vision. Mike and Mark share tools they use to help individuals and organizations develop a culture of continuous improvement. All you need is a penny, a blank sheet of paper and some crayons. … Herb Mast’s “Intentionality for Leaders.”  Interested in coaching or training on these topics for …

Want engaged employees? You need “Growth.”

The Gallup Q12, as it’s commonly called, is a set of 12 questions designed to measure employee engagement. Not satisfaction. Engagement. Why is that distinction important? Because satisfaction is surface-level—think free snacks in the breakroom—but engagement digs deeper. It’s about your team’s emotional connection to their work and their belief in the purpose of what they’re doing. These questions came …

Want engaged employee? You need “Belonging and the Greater Good.”

The Gallup Q12, as it’s commonly called, is a set of 12 questions designed to measure employee engagement. Not satisfaction. Engagement. Why is that distinction important? Because satisfaction is surface-level—think free snacks in the breakroom—but engagement digs deeper. It’s about your team’s emotional connection to their work and their belief in the purpose of what they’re doing. These questions came …

Want engaged employees? You need to meet “Basic Human Needs.”

The Gallup Q12, as it’s commonly called, is a set of 12 questions designed to measure employee engagement. Not satisfaction. Engagement. Why is that distinction important? Because satisfaction is surface-level—think free snacks in the breakroom—but engagement digs deeper. It’s about your team’s emotional connection to their work and their belief in the purpose of what they’re doing. These questions came …