How do you keep your top talent from jumping ship? For starters, let them know how much you value them. According to research, something as simple as conducting a “stay interview”—a conversation in which you review an employee’s likes and dislikes about the job—can help significantly reduce turnover of valued staff members. Want to give […] Continue reading
Category Archives: Leadership
The Real Meaning of Engaged Leaders
Much of what’s written about “employee engagement” focuses on how to get your employees more involved at work. As a leader at your company, you’re also an employee; how “engaged” are you? And, are you engaged in the right things? Undoubtedly, you’re busy, but is that the same as engagement? According to research by Development […] Continue reading
July 2015 Leadership Development Carnival – hosted by @thehrgoddess
This month’s Leadership Development Carnival is hosted by my co-author and friend Jane Perdue. On Twitter Jane is known as @thehrgoddess. She’s rounded up a wonderful collection of essays on leadership, with diverse topics such as: – leadership through the lens of moral character – becoming an agile and adaptable leader – how to make […] Continue reading
Leadership Communication is Vital During a Crisis
Even though it happened over 20 years ago, the memory is vivid: While working in corporate America, I was waiting for a fax for one of my projects. Upon hearing the sound of an incoming fax, I grabbed the paper off the machine, read it, and then lost all thought of the task on which […] Continue reading
3 Sure-Fire Ways to Ruin Trust with Your Team
Charlie is a charming, highly persuasive marketing executive for a growing technology company. He’s a delight to work with—until you tell him what he’s asking for isn’t possible. Then, his charm rapidly dissipates. On a good day, you’ll get a reptilian smile with, “I’m sure someone with as many years in the business can find […] Continue reading
4 Things Top Managers Do To Improve Employee Engagement
Improving your interactions with employees isn’t rocket science, but it does take effort. I interviewed top managers to find out specifically what they do to create connection and engagement with their employees. You’ll find a list of four tips for managers to communicate more effectively with their team members over on TINYPulse’s Employee Engagement & […] Continue reading
Tips for Maintaining Your Focus as a Leader
In the new book The Disciplined Leader, John Manning writes about the importance of focus—and how it drives leadership success. After reading the book, I had the opportunity to ask John some follow up questions. What follows is an edited version of our conversation. Jen: In the book’s introduction, you write that leaders must learn […] Continue reading
16 Discussion Questions to Help You Lead Better Meetings
Does leading meetings frustrate you? Maybe you have someone in your meeting who has ideas— lots of them—who can’t seem to shut up. Or perhaps it’s the opposite issue: meeting participants are shutting down good discussion in the interest of “keeping things moving.” If either of the scenarios sounds familiar, then you will want to […] Continue reading
52 Messages for Becoming a Disciplined Leader
As a leader, are you committed to “relentless self-control and positive work habits?” In the book The Disciplined Leader, author John Manning makes the case for discipline, writing that effective leaders employ “consistent application of certain mindsets and actions that are vital for [their] success.” Yet, as Manning found when he began conducting research for […] Continue reading
Even Good Leaders Lose Against a Bad System
“The other day I had a revelation at work.” That’s my friend Sally, chatting with me at lunch. “Oh? How so?” That’s me, ever the inquisitor. Sally took a new job a few months ago and we were catching up on life. “Well, the VP of my division stopped me in the hall the other […] Continue reading







