Business Archives

How to Build a Successful Team: Focus on Strengths

Do you want to know how to build a successful team for your business? Why should you focus on developing your employees’ strengths rather than fixing their weaknesses? In their book Nine Lies About Work, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall say that the key to building a successful team is encouraging your subordinates to develop their unique strengths rather than fix their weaknesses. To do this, you must determine what outcomes you want from your team and then figure out how each member can help you achieve those outcomes given their individual strengths. Here’s why leaders should shift their focus

5 Myths About Leadership and People Management

What are some of the most common leadership myths modern leaders have been led to believe? How does buying into these myths hurt your leadership? When it comes to leadership and people management, there’s no manual to follow. According to Buckingham and Goodall, the authors of Nine Lies About Work, many modern leaders still harbor dangerous misconceptions that hurt their employees, and ultimately, their organizations’ bottom line. Here are five myths that still permeate modern leadership thinking.

Organizational Planning: Why Strategic Plans Fail

Do you use organizational planning for your business? Why will it ultimately fail your business in the long run? In a typical company, senior leadership comes up with a strategic plan for success and then communicates it to their direct reports. The message is then passed down until it reaches the execution team, which makes its own plans based on the directives from the higher-ups. The problem with this dynamics is that plans made by higher-ups tend to disregard the daily struggles of their employees who make the magic happen. Here’s why strategic plans often fail.

The Importance of Teamwork in an Organization

How important is a teamwork culture in your organization? Why is a collaborative work environment more important than corporate culture? Many companies believe that creating an enticing corporate culture is what makes the business thrive. While corporate culture (various perks, free lunches, etc.) can attract people to work for your organization, it’s not what makes them stay. High-value people seek to do meaningful work as part of a supportive, collaborative team. Keep reading to learn about the importance of teamwork in an organization.

Identifying High Potential Employees Hurts Businesses

What is deemed a “high-potential employee”? How does classifying your employees into high- or low- potential hurt your organization? Companies use performance appraisal systems for identifying high-potential employees. When an employee is “high potential,” it usually means they have promise for promotion because of their skillset and work ethic. However, “high-potential” people don’t matter in the long run. Here’s why you shouldn’t segregate your employees based on high or low potential.

The Future of Movie Theaters After COVID-19

Are movie theaters going out of business? What does the future of movie theaters look like? In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused mass panic and greatly impacted the entertainment business because of movie theater closings. As a result, streaming services saw an increase in popularity that permanently affected how film companies would distribute their films moving forward. Let’s break down what’s causing people to wonder about the future of movie theaters, and if theaters are actually dying.

How to Encourage Team Members to Perform Better

Is your team falling behind at work? What can you, as a leader, do to get your team to perform at their best? Your team reflects how good of a leader you are. If your team is lacking in performance or isn’t showing improvement, you need to give them better feedback. According to Buckingham and Goodall, the authors of Nine Lies About Work, most leaders give exclusively corrective feedback, which puts people on the defensive. Instead, leaders should focus on highlighting what people are doing well rather than what they should improve. Here’s how to encourage team members to perform

What Qualities Make a Good Leader?

Do you want your team to follow and respect you? What qualities make a good leader? In their book Nine Lies About Work, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall explain the traits that leaders should exhibit if they want to build a thriving organization. We’ve combined these traits into three core qualities that embody the freethinking leader, a person who values individuality and questions traditional systems. Keep reading to learn about the key qualities that make a good leader, according to Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall.

Nine Lies About Work: Book Overview

What is Marcus Buckingham’s and Ashley Goodall’s Nine Lies About Work about? What are the main points you should take away from the book? In their book Nine Lies About Work, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall expose the flawed workplace norms that are often misconceived as the traits to success. They sum up these norms into nine lies and explained why they’re so damaging to businesses. Below is a brief overview of the key themes.

The Best Books on Leadership and Management

Do you want to level up your leadership game? What are the best books on leadership and management? With so many “best” books on leadership and management out there, it can be difficult to pick out the gems. The best books are the ones with authoritative resources written by successful leaders who don’t just preach theory but also offer actionable strategies to help you become a better leader. That’s why we’ve rounded up the following list of the absolute best books on leadership and management—written by leadership experts with decades of experience, featured on well-known bestsellers’ lists, and positively rated