Work Archives

Best Practices for Meetings Every Leader Should Follow

Do you often walk away from a meeting feeling like you’ve wasted precious time? Does your agenda often get hijacked by people rambling or going off-topic? Have you ever left a 2-hour meeting feeling like you could have gotten just as much done in 30 minutes? If any of this sounds relatable, you need to understand the best practices for meetings. This guide will explore why meetings are so dreaded and, more importantly, what you can do about it. Keep reading for a guide to the best practices for meetings that every leader should follow.

How Oxytocin and Cortisol Affect Leadership

What do oxytocin and cortisol have to do with leadership? How does cortisol hinder collaboration and cause division amongst employees? In his book Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek explains how cortisol and oxytocin affect leadership. Cortisol creates a toxic work culture where employees see each other as competitors rather than collaborators. Oxytocin, on the other hand, fosters empathy and trust, which encourages collaboration and inspires innovation. Here’s how cortisol and oxytocin affect the workplace culture in your organization, according to Sinek.

The Importance of Empathy in the Workplace

Why is it important to foster empathy in the workplace? What are the consequences of a lack of empathy in an organization? According to management theorist Simon Sinek, empathy in the workplace fosters a supportive environment by combating abstraction through the release of oxytocin. When empathy is absent, people see each other as abstract concepts rather than people. As a result, they focus on their own benefits, rather than the common goal. Read about the importance of empathy in the workplace, according to Sinek.

Simon Sinek’s Circle of Safety, Explained

What is a “circle of safety” in Sinek’s conceptualization? How do you develop a circle of safety in your organization? According to Simon Sinek, a “circle of safety” is a company culture where employees’ needs are prioritized above the company’s profits. By putting your employees’ needs first, you create an environment where they feel safe to collaborate and innovate. Here’s how prioritizing your subordinates’ needs drives collaboration and innovation, according to Sinek.

Toxic Workplace Culture: The Killer of Progress

What are the signs of toxic workplace culture? How does toxic work culture affect your employee’s performance and willingness to collaborate? Toxic workplace culture is a breeding ground for the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol stifles the release of oxytocin, the neurochemical which fosters empathy and trust. When employees lack empathy and trust toward one another, they’re much less likely to collaborate, seeing each other as competitors and threats to their own success. Here’s how a lack of empathy creates a toxic workplace culture.

How to Encourage Collaboration in Your Organization

How to Have an Effective Strategic Discussion

Are your employees unwilling to collaborate? What can you, as a leader do, to encourage collaboration in your organization? The key to fostering collaboration in your organization is to nurture a higher purpose. When you and your subordinates are devoted to fulfilling this kind of purpose, the possibility that you’ll fail to do so becomes enough of a threat to encourage collaboration and strengthen the supportive environment. Here’s how having a higher purpose unites teams.

Why You Should Put Pressure on Yourself to Succeed

Is putting pressure on yourself a bad thing? Do people perform better under pressure? Surprisingly, some people actually do work better under pressure. Putting pressure on yourself can help you manage stress and anxiety, while also making you relentless to succeed. Here’s what Tim Grover, author of Relentless, says about the benefits of pressuring yourself.

How to Cultivate a Supportive Work Environment

Do you feel like your organization has a supportive work environment? What can you, as a leader, do to cultivate a supportive work culture in your organization? In a supportive work environment, employees feel that you see them as people, rather than mere assets to increase profits. In his book Leaders Eat Last, management theorist Simon Sinek suggests three strategies to strengthen your supportive environment and encourage trust and collaboration. Let’s explore Sinek’s strategies for cultivating a supportive environment in the workplace.

How to Get Focused: Control These 3 Emotions

Are you having trouble staying focused? How are your emotions affecting your ability to stay attentive? Your emotions control almost every aspect of your life, including how well you stay focused. In his book Relentless, legendary celebrity trainer Tim Grover says that to get focused on your goals, you have to use three emotions to your advantage—anger, calmness, and happiness. To learn how to get focused on your life, career, or anything else important to you, keep reading.

Daniel Goleman’s 6 Leadership Styles, Explained

What are Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles? How can you use these styles to instill harmony in your team? Daniel Goleman is an author, lecturer, and psychologist who focuses on behavioral science and the brain. In his co-authored book Primal Leadership, Goleman goes over the six leadership styles that can create group harmony. Here’s an overview of each one of the six leadership styles.