Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Whos-really-to-blame-when-your-employees-fail-to-perform.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Whos-really-to-blame-when-your-employees-fail-to-perform.html Human beings are funny. When placed in a position where they are expected to perform in a certain way – like an office – most people will do exactly what is expected and not much more. If expectations are low, they tend to do less. But when expectations are high, those same people will to rise to the occasion. Applied to today’s managers, we see this effect play out time and again in organizations large and small: A manager who expects little of his or her employees also clearly thinks little of them. As a result, employees give little in return. On the other hand, managers who expect a lot of their employees tend to treat their employees better and, in return, get better performance. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Why-most-managers-arent-up-for-the-job.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Why-most-managers-arent-up-for-the-job.html If you’re a business owner, try answering this question: What does it mean when your company is experiencing lots of turnover, a sharp drop in performance or revenues, people calling in sick all the time, and a general sense of malaise and crankiness? Although you may attribute these problems to the employees themselves, or a few bad apples among them, the reality is that all of these symptoms indicate serious trouble at the top. Without the right kind of leadership, individual business units and the company as a whole will suffer. But the blame cannot be placed entirely on the manager. Poor managerial performance is often a result of a poor selection process. I call it bad jobs happening to good people. Well, it’s not so much that the job itself is bad, but that it is the wrong one for that particular person. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Keep-strong-leaders-and-improve-the-bottom-line-with-onboarding.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Keep-strong-leaders-and-improve-the-bottom-line-with-onboarding.html Savvy organizations have learned that leaders need more than the standard welcome package when they move into a new role. They need proper training. They need a plan for adapting to their new position. And they need support. In short, they need executive onboarding. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Empowering-the-People-in-Your-Organization.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Empowering-the-People-in-Your-Organization.html In the workplace, the word “empower” is often thought of in its traditional definition, of enabling someone, or equipping them with an ability. The task of empowering usually falls to an organization’s managers. To succeed in empowering their employees, they need more than a vague idea of what empowerment means. They need an entirely new approach to management. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Tapping-into-Our-Creativity--Poetic-of-the-Soul.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Tapping-into-Our-Creativity--Poetic-of-the-Soul.html Creativity has been painted as a path to our imagination, an expression of our spiritual nature, and as a business success application tool. In our search and in the depths of creativity comes what we may find we are having difficult articulating and acknowledging - the poetic language of the soul. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Creativity-is-a-Powerful-Way-of-Thinking-and-Being.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Creativity-is-a-Powerful-Way-of-Thinking-and-Being.html I often hear people say, "I’m not a creative person!" In truth, as humans each of us is inherently creative by virtue of being part of Nature - the essence of creativity itself. I believe to be creative means to use what comes naturally to you with the responsibility to share that gift with the world. Uncovering your unique gift and learning how to tap into your creative energy are defining steps that allow for the release of ideas and desires that further enhance your ability to create, resulting in the potential of living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Understanding the potential of your unique creativity, and then actively and consciously creating leads to greater success in manifesting the results you want for your life. If we are all naturally creative as human beings, what holds us back? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/How-to-give-your-family-a-wellness-makeover.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/How-to-give-your-family-a-wellness-makeover.html In this day of cell phones, pagers, blackberry’s and emails you think it wouldn’t be hard to reach someone in your family but the truth is it is more challenging than ever… to reach them in a way that keeps you connected. So, how do you stay connected? How can you turn the abundance of quantity in to quality time? How can you give your family a ‘makeover’ in a meaningful way as if you just showed up to your favorite spa for a few hours of a meditative makeover? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/The-TwoMinute-Drill.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/The-TwoMinute-Drill.html A co-worker who has been a critic of your work in the past is promoted to become your supervisor. What's your best career strategy? In this situation, you not only want to survive, you want to thrive. And, believe it or not, you can do well in these circumstances. Here is a three point plan for success. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Back-down-to-Earth-after-the-boss-returns.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Back-down-to-Earth-after-the-boss-returns.html The scenario: Your immediate supervisor is returning to the job after an extended leave. It means you will no longer be the acting department head and will have to revert to your former second-in-command status. How do you make the adjustment in terms of your ego and desire for responsibilities? Instead of viewing this situation as a step back, view it as a step aside, with potential for two steps forward from there. Keep your professional future in mind by concentrating on the few areas outlined below. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Tips-on-Protecting-Your-Job-During-a-Recession.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Leadership/2154/Tips-on-Protecting-Your-Job-During-a-Recession.html Be realistic about your situation. Even if you are an exemplary employee, you are not immune to the potential impacts of a recession. Remember that valuable employees tend to earn more, which makes them candidates for layoffs.