Leaders & Managers

Have you drunk your organization’s Kool-Aid? Yes? That’s fine, but remember the difference between your group’s internal image and the way it is perceived in the real world.

If you dread administering performance reviews, you may sugarcoat your appraisals by telling employees they’re doing “great” when they need to improve. Dishing out undeserved praise can backfire. By giving honest, thorough appraisals, you can avoid these traps.

Famous for his antics and showmanship, Major League Baseball owner Bill Veeck made an indelible impression with his generosity and fairness. Here’s a lesson from Veeck about what to do when you’ve made the wrong hire.

You’ve heard about the new generation of “digital natives”—young people born after 1989 who know only a digital world. For the rest of us, the lesson is clear: We need to become digital leaders.

Strong leaders create a safe, secure environment so that staffers can test the bounds of their fears and break through them. Here’s how top executives drive exceptional performance.

With the passing of actor Andy Griffith in 2012, his most famous TV character, Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry, is worth another look for his low-key brand of leadership. Here are a few of the sheriff’s lessons on caring more and fussing less.

When leading teams, resist the urge to overdo it. Some facilitators jump in and play fixer as soon as the group hits a snag. But the team won’t grow if you intervene too soon—or too often.

Some teams struggle to work together. Personalities clash, disagreements intensify and meetings turn into protracted turf battles. When groups become polarized, shake up the status quo. Try these techniques to reverse a downhill spiral so that teams regain their footing.

An intriguing aspect of leaders is how often they fail to appreciate how unusual they are. Even if you carry a powerful understanding of your team’s mission, don’t assume that everyone around shares your drive or your goals.

 

In 2006, kids were flocking to MySpace, so naturally, NBC News thought it could jump on the social media bandwagon to help improve education. Epic failure ...