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Tag: motivation (Page 1 of 3)

Lessons for business leaders from ancient philosophers

19/04/2023 /

Ancient philosophers can teach business leaders how to help employees live better and reach eudaimonia.

The article “What can business leaders learn from ancient Greek philosophers?” (http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/business-learn-from-ancient-philosophers) describes some techniques used by ancient philosophers which can help achieve the “good life”:

  • Dare to disagree (Socrates)
  • Let people seek fulfillment (Aristotle)
  • Be a good role model (Plutarch)
  • Build a resilient mid-set (Epictetus)
  • Keep track of your ethical progress (Rufus)
  • The art of happiness (Epicurus)

Leading with Humility

08/02/2023 /

Leaders are often described as powerful and headstrong individuals, certain of their position and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals or ambitions.

Recent researches have advanced  a new model for understanding and improving effective leadership: leading with humility. Scientific inquiry has shown that humility offers a significant “competitive advantage” to leaders.

Humble leaders consider their own strengths, weakness and motives in making decisions; demonstrating concern for the common good, and exercising their influence for the benefit of all.

Managers who exhibit traits of humility resulted in better employee engagement and job performance.

In this article, Gwen Moran explains how to use humility to be more effective in the following 6 ways:

1) Be open to others’ opinions;
2) Tend to others’ needs;
3) Admit mistakes;
4) Accept ambiguity;
5) Self – reflect;
6) Let people do their jobs.
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Image source: Flickr – (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Tom Simpson

 

How to say NO

25/05/2022 /

How can I do that without risking to demotivate my team, especially now, at a time when we are all managing continuous change?

How can I say ‘no’ to my team mates, colleagues from other teams, sometimes even my direct manager, and keep a good professional relationship in place?

This free book provides useful tips for such an important part of assertive communication and of the process of building trust. The books helps you looking at how we can say ‘no’ in a way that allows us to build better relationships with others, and how this is helpful in building long-term successful teams.

Image Source: Pixabay – Geralt

How great bosses motivate

23/06/2021 /

Elle Kaplan highlights in her article on INC eight things that great bosses tell their employees daily to motivate them.

1. “I have total confidence in you.”
2. “This is what I want us to accomplish…”
3. “What can we do better next time?”
4. “I want to play to your strengths.”
5. “What is your opinion?”
6. “How can I better support you?”
7. “Let me know if you have any questions.”
8. “Good work.”

It is a useful list that can be handy in many occasions…

Read the full article

 

Image source:

How to raise successful kids (or business colleagues) without over-parenting

31/10/2018 /

Though this TED talk suggestion may seem rather strange for a blog focusing on leadership and business skills development, it actually gives us an important message about how to accompany other along a path of growth by adopting an encouraging rather than punitive attitude. Julie Lythcott- Haims reminds parents (but leaders and managers too!) that there are many ways of reprimanding a person and some are much more fruitful than others in actually determining a change in the other person’s behavior.

Another important message is this: managers should always be on the lookout for situations they can learn from. In fact, some of the most important lessons often spring from situations which have nothing to do with the business environment!

 

 

Bearing the unbearable: approaching “GAMAN” to take on new challenges

07/06/2017 /

Understanding one of the most important skills of a Japanese warrior, or “samurai”, can improve our daily life, including our attitude towards apparently unsolvable issues.

This skill is called “gaman”, a word that can be translated as “patience”, “endurance”, “perseverance” and which deals with the capacity of living “without complaint whatever problem may throw in your path”.

“Gaman” is a fundamental aspect of  the samurai’s code of life, or “bushido”,  but it is not necessary to fully practice this tough philosophy in order to experiment a truly fulfilling “gaman attitude”.

Broadly speaking, something similar can be found even in Western societies: ancient Romans, for instance, used to practice self-conditioning by following the stoical conduct of enduring hardship without a word of complaint.

Nevertheless, it is even unnecessary to face pain or disasters in order to experiment “gaman”.

In fact, a simple and achievable “gaman-ese” code of conduct can be summed up by 5 tips, useful to face our daily issues:

1- Stay consistent

2 – Set small goals for yourself, and achieve them

3- Take your time

4- Be human, with dignity

5 – Breathe!

More about GAMAN here

 Image Source: Flickr – Alliance russe (CC BY 2.0)

Non-financial motivators

17/05/2017 /

In the article  “8 Ways Leaders Can Motivate Employees Beyond Money”, the author affirms that non-financial motivators may be more effective in the long term than financial incentives.

Based on a McKinsey survey, the author then provides the following 8 principles, which can be very useful when money is in short supply or when a financial incentive is not available:

  1. Energize your team
  2. There’s more to life than work
  3. Put your people first
  4. Act with integrity
  5. Be a great communicator
  6. Be a great listener
  7. Be a problem solver
  8. Lead through experience and competence, not through title or position

motivation

Image source: Flickr – airpix  (CC BY 2.0)

Motivate your employees

15/03/2017 /

Elle Kaplan highlights in her article on INC eight things that great bosses tell their employees daily to motivate them.

1. “I have total confidence in you.”
2. “This is what I want us to accomplish…”
3. “What can we do better next time?”
4. “I want to play to your strengths.”
5. “What is your opinion?”
6. “How can I better support you?”
7. “Let me know if you have any questions.”
8. “Good work.”

It is a useful list that can be handy in many occasions…

Read the full article

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Image source: Pixabay (CC0)

5 Mistakes good leaders should avoid

20/09/2016 /

Steve Cartwright, in this article on Web Design, points out the five common mistakes made by leaders:

  1. Focusing on tasks rather than reaching the ultimate goal. You can’t lead others if you don’t know what you’re striving for, so be sure you’re clear and focused on the vision rather than the small tasks of the job.
  2. Checking up on employees rather than engaging them. Make it a point to get to know your team members: it’s important to get your vision across, and you can’t do that if you merely check in once in a while.
  3. Don’t stick to your own leadership style. You can learn from other leaders in history and in your business, but don’t mimic them when it comes to your leadership style: find your own way and stick to it!
  4. Resist change. Many leaders tend to do what they’ve always done in terms of leading. If you want your business or team to prosper and grow, take some time to expose yourself to new ideas.
  5. Hire people too fast to fill a slot. True leaders take their time when hiring and make sure they can complete the work and grow along with the company or team.

Leadership

Image source: Flickr – nist6dh  (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Six questions to full engage yourself in life and work

05/07/2016 /

Asking active questions it is very important in our daily life. Simple, active questions can change our behaviour because they reveal where we are succeeding and where we need further improvement. And in doing so, they rivet our attention on what we can actually change. In his book, Triggers: Sparking Positive Change and Making It Last, Marshall Goldsmith outlines six active questions that fully engage us in life and work.

The Daily Questions are immensely useful for three reasons because they help us identify what we really want, not what we think we want and they motivate us in areas where we need it.

There are six daily questions in total.

  1. Did I do my best to set clear goals today?

2. Did I do my best to make progress toward my goals today?

  1. Did I do my best to find meaning today?
  1. Did I Do my best to be happy today?
  1. Did I do my best to build positive relationships today?
  1. Did I do my best to be fully engaged today?

By asking The Daily Questions, we remind ourselves that if we want we can control our lives.

Read here the full article

Six questions

Image Source: Flickr – Noelia (CC – BY – NC – ND 2.0)

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