• Avoiding the Pitfalls of Micromanagement with the Power of Trust

    Avoiding the Pitfalls of Micromanagement with the Power of Trust0

    Micromanagement: Everyone knows the term. Micromanaging is a method of management in which an individual closely observes or controls the work of an employee. In comparison to simply giving general direction, the micromanager monitors and evaluates every stage in a process, from beginning to end. This behavior negatively affects efficiency, creativity, trust, communication, problem-solving, and

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  • 6 Strategies to Coach Your Employees to Succeed

    6 Strategies to Coach Your Employees to Succeed0

    Coaching is a difficult skill for many leaders to acquire. It’s vague and slow. Leaders tend to want to move quickly toward defined goals, reach those goals, and immediately move on to the next set of goals. Coaching is frustratingly elusive to understand and seemingly convoluted in the doing; it is much easier to direct

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  • 3 Ways to Give Thanks on Thanksgiving (or Any Time)

    3 Ways to Give Thanks on Thanksgiving (or Any Time)0

    Ah, November. The leaves are falling, the weather is chilly, and the smell of pumpkin spice permeates the air. While you’re probably making plans to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, there’s one group of people you may be forgetting—your employees. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to express your gratitude to those around you. Making

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  • Respect for People – Not an Optional Principle for Successful Lean Companies

    Respect for People – Not an Optional Principle for Successful Lean Companies0

    Respect for People is one of the most overlooked principles of Lean.  Respect for people means developing employees’ latent skills in both on the job and off the job training. It is easy to invest money in new technology, software, or equipment. It takes time, effort, and planning to invest in employee skills development. Without

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  • Lean Quote: Employee Appreciation Day

    Lean Quote: Employee Appreciation Day0

    On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on

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  • Show Your Employees Some Love

    Show Your Employees Some Love0

    It’s February 14th and if that date doesn’t ring a bell, you must live under a rock. It’s Valentine’s day! Whether you “believe” in Valentine’s Day or not, it’s the perfect occasion to show some appreciation to someone special and your employees would probably be delighted and surprised if you took the time to show

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