In the Front Line Leadership training program we ask participants to think back over all the managers and supervisors they have worked for and tell us what percentage of all those leaders were effective leaders. The consensus is that for most people, half of their leaders have been effective and half were ineffective. So it’s […]
Category: Supervisors
The Importance of Explaining WHY
Dr Ellen Langer, Harvard Psychology Professor, did an interesting experiment using lineups of students waiting to make photocopies in the Harvard University library. In round one of the experiment, she had one of her graduate students go up to the front of the line and ask, “Can I get in front of you to make […]
Three Tips to Help You Become a More Curious Leader
Of all the significant leadership characteristics and behaviors, one of the most important is curiosity. Take the example of a driver cutting off another driver in traffic. Most reactions would be one of anger or aggravation. A curious person might wonder what kind of day that person is having or wonder why they’re in such […]
Dealing with Passive Employees
More common than the aggressive employee is the less offensive, passive employee. Passive employees are usually easy to get along with but they still might not fully meet your expectations as a leader. A passive employee tries to avoid conflict by telling you what they think you want to hear by following the rules and […]
Tips to Improve the Hand Off Between Shifts
More and more, production facilities operate across multiple shifts. This requires good coordination to ensure a smooth transition from one shift to the next. Many companies will use written shift notes to communicate key highlights from the previous shift. The shift notes are inadequate for one major reason — most supervisors don’t spend much time sitting at […]