There is nothing new under the sun...ever heard that phrase. It from a biblical passage, Ecc. 1:9.

Well, in the time of Covid, you might be thinking...is that true now? These are unpresedented times. We're entering into a new normal (not a fan of that phrase)...but ok, yes things are definitely unsettling and uncertain. And, some elements of life may permanently change...or not. We'll see.

However, there are some very human, historical and universal truths that are settled, certain and will remain unchanged.

While we get tossed about by how we and others are describing this current experience, as someone who lives in the realm of human behavior in life and business, I can say - and I hope this is encouraging- there some things...and I dare say the most important things... that have not changed and will not change.

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There is so much noise in the world of leadership and management today. Go on LinkedIn and just see the breath of information in your feed - kinda makes my head hurt. There's so much discussion about what leaders should be doing, what makes a great leader, etc. Do a search on Amazon or Google about leadership and management and millions of results are revealed.

One thing for sure, if you are a senior leader or one that owns a business, there are certain fundamentals you must have in place - above all others. And yet, so many other things are discussed - I call them shiny objects - don't actively advocate and address these fundamentals.

Two in particular are these:

1. If you want to grow a business, you must have a reliable, effective management team.

2. You are the cornerstone of your business, business unit or department.

My husband is in construction. He has built many a building in his career from a small home to a skyscraper. One building essential every one of them needed was a cornerstone. What is it?

Go here for full text: http://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2020/03/2-nonnegotiable-fundamentals-of.html

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1. Key leaders, decision-makers do not understand or appreciate the "human experience" in the work environment.

2. There is a disconnect between how behavior (the human experience) impacts revenue. Therefore the "cheapest" prescription is chosen without being clear on the need and the best remedy to meet it. I call that the spray and pray decision. Let's spray out a bunch of information in a "training seminar" and pray it sticks and fixes things. 

I've said in previous posts, when dealing with employee performance problems, many decision-makers want a bandaid, when surgery is what is really needed. A bandaid seems to be much cheaper... really? And by the way, this is beyond an HR problem as some like to direct it...it is overall a leadership and management problem.

Read full text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2016/02/the-one-thing-employee-training-cant-fix.html

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Ever heard the phrase "change is hard'?

I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding about that phrase. In reality there is a range of "change capabilities". Depending on the context, change can be in an instant or permanent change can take time.

I've learned over the years that change can be immediate, but transformation... does takes time. And this is a crucial mind-set for leaders when trying to achieve operational change of any kind. Unrealistic expectations lead to lots of unnecessary stress and poor planning and can waste time, money and talent.

What is hard...really hard...is what leads up to change. Getting to the point of change is the tough part. Here's what I mean.

In the work I do, helping companies achieve better results through leadership and management development, I help decision-makers get to the point of deciding to initiate change...to their benefit.

Even with all the evidence and constant discussion about the epidemic of incompetent or bad managers and with virtually everyone agreeing that good managers are needed...getting decision-makers to the decision of employing management training is tough. If it wasn't, it'd be pervasive. In fact, almost every company would have it as a part of their business development plan.

But we know that just is not happening. Ever wondered why?

Well, the ultimate answer I believe is fear. But there's more. And the more... are 3 undeniable truths about change. I call them "change saboteurs"

Read the complete text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2019/11/3-undeniable-truths-that-sabotage.html

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"People don't leave jobs, they leave bosses.'"

This is a very popular phrase that circles around the HR and management community a lot...and in fact has been doing so even during the time I was a recruiter some 25+ years ago. And, in all that time has consistently proven to be true.

However, I'd like to frame this truth in a different way. People don't leave jobs, they leave relationships. Because, in essence, that's what we're talking about. Leaving anyone, boss or not, is leaving a relationship.

Read full text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2019/11/people-dont-leave-jobs-they-leave.html

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If not, you're missing out...

One of the elements of business I'm becoming more and more committed to - for myself and clients - is that of simplicity.

I'm also devoted to spend my time providing insights and information from a different point of view that provides meaningful value...that is if you spend your precious time reading my blog...at the end of each post you'll think, "Well, that was worth it."

From my experience, that different point of view is seeing business through a very simple lens. Here's the lens: all things business are derived from human behavior.  It has become a very defined view over the years and its benefits are enormous for this who are willing to see as I do.

2 Simple Principles of Business You Should KnowBecause of this refined view, I see business in a much simpler way than I did when I first started my own business some 20+ years ago.

After working with thousands of employees and their managers throughout North American over those past years, I've observed and have narrowed down the main, overriding issues to success in business and they are human behavior and relationships... and note how one naturally impacts the other in business outcomes.

Read full text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2019/10/do-you-carry-this-critical-point-of.html

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Let me get straight to the point. One key element contributing to the dilemma of creative thinking in the workplace is fear of diversity -- fear of "too" different.  You see this "too different" causes discomfort. This is the "get out of our comfort zone" we don't consider and resist.

The comfort zone we usually address is pushing ourselves to grow, moving beyond where we currently are as our choice on our terms. This is the one most familiar when we use that phrase.

But, there's another. I call it "the diversity "dis"comfort zone". This   one allows others -  much different than us -  to come into our zone and be truly who they are even if it causes discomfort and in some cases we have to do the work to be accepting, receiving, embracing no matter the level of that discomfort. 

Read the full text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2016/06/the-dilemma-of-creative-thinking-in.html

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I'm gonna cut to the chase.

I've observed for many years a cyclical epidemic. Managers who don't know how and are not managing ...and are not helped in any useful, sustainable way.

And so...it continues.

As a business owner, senior leader or HR professional, if you've experienced this on any level I want to help you diagnose why.

Now, I don't want to insult your intelligence. Perhaps to you the 6 items below are obvious and you've sought help and just haven't found the right resources to fully fulfill your needs. I'll address that in a minute.

You can read the full text here: https://www.joanncorleyspeaks.com/2019/10/6-reasons-why-your-managers-are-failing.html

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I was having a conversation with my step-son a few months back - getting an update on how his business was doing. He's part of a family owned business and was next in line to take over when his in-laws retired. He's very motivated and has grand plans for growth.

He realized that in order to execute his vision, he needed to develop a solid next tier management team, so he could be free to focus on strategic growth activities. Listen to the advice I gave. You won't want to miss it!

Of Note: We've worked to help managing your business, operations and people become much easier with our Smart Management Blueprint - it's a 9 building block roadmap, tested in some of the most challenging environments to substantially improve operational results while developing competent managers. 

It's highly successful because it's strategically infused with human behavior science. When you may not be able to trust the skills of novice managers, you will be able to trust the science they'll implement with the blueprint! check it out!

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