If I only had one tip or piece of advice to share about leadership, I would say, "Let people know that their contributions matter."

Thanksgiving is an opportunity to be grateful for what you have and to recognize others for the contributions they have made to you, your team and organization.

One of the challenges that senior leaders often have is that they are rewarded and recognized based on the success of their functional area. But, often times, senior leaders are asked to be an engaged member of a leadership team. This requires a shift in an individual leader's attitudes, skills, and perspectives that is difficult for many leaders to make. Which ones apply to you? 

Veteran's Day to me represents the best of what leadership is truly about...

In several of my recent team building and leadership development programs, I've noticed a tension between accountability and micromanagement.

On one hand the leader believes he is holding his team members accountable, and on the other hand team members see the leader as micromanaging.

Would you work for you?

This is such a powerful question that keeps coming up for me, and one that I ask clients as I consult with them on team and leadership development engagements.

Would you work for you?

If you turned the table and considered what it would be like to work for you...

Our destination was the summit of the Grand Teton in Teton National Park, WY. At 13,775 feet above sea level, we'd have a 5,000 foot hike over 7 miles and then 2,200 feet of technical rock.

We took a day to hike in. Then we got an alpine start on the Petzoldt Ridge, an exposed 800 foot rock route leading to a more moderate 1,200 feet  on the Upper Exum Ridge. Almost 14 hours later we were back at our camp.

The most effective teams have a consistent focus on both structure and relationships. They know that being strong in both areas is critical to maximizing their potential. 

By structure I mean that the right components are in place - I call these the cultural building blocks of a team - that enable team success. For example, purpose is clear, communication strategy supports the team's purpose, and norms drive a common and collective way of working together.

You have already made your decision. You are set on a course of action. The horse is out of the barn. Now is NOT the time to ask for input!

Asking for opinions after the fact — merely because you think it will appease others — will definitely backfire. Your team members can see right through this artificial, insincere gesture.

Imposing your own goals on team members is one of the fastest ways to lose their commitment.

Goal setting is a collaborative process. The role of the leader is to provide coaching to ensure everyone is in line with overall team goals. Make sure any online collaboration tools or other technology you use to support the goal-setting process doesn’t take the place of crucial in-person conversations.

Just a quick shout out to say "Happy 4th of July."

Thank you to the members of the armed forces and those public servants who enable our freedom with their sacrifice, service, and selflessness. 

In gratitude, 

Sal