“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes.” – Jack Handey Most people have strong feelings about their managers. You either love working for them, or you find aspects of them very difficult. […]
Remote and flexible work is a growing phenomenon. In 2016, 43% of full-time employees worked remotely at least part of the time, up from 39% in 2012. Making this even more powerful, the working population has grown at the same time. During those 4 years, the U.S. workforce grew from 114 million in 2012 to […]
“Everybody is identical in their secret unspoken belief that way deep down they are different from everyone else.” – David Foster Wallace Most companies have some key characteristics that make them believe they’re different: a combination of their business model, mission, product, and other factors. But when you look inside these companies, quite a bit […]
“I’m a mid-level leader at my company and really unhappy. How do you know when to quit your job, when so many others depend on you?” That’s not an easy question, but it’s one of many we’ve heard before. In the process of growing Lighthouse and writing this blog, we have talked to a lot […]
Camille Fournier has a new book out all about how to be a great technical leader called, The Manager’s Path. It’s a great look at what you need to think about at every step in your career from first job to CTO of a growing organization. Similar to John Wooden’s book we recently highlighted takeaways […]
Remember the classic book on relationships, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus? Might it be time to write a similar volume about managers and employees? Managers are from…Mars? Consider this: 53% of employees believe “inadequate staffing” is the major driver of stress at work, but only 15% of managers believe that. Meanwhile, 33% […]
One on one meetings are a cornerstone to any effective manager <-> team member relationship from small startups to giant companies. What you talk about, and the one on one meeting questions you ask, make all the difference in the performance of your team. It’s why Andy Grove, legendary founder of Intel and author of […]
1:1s are an essential habit for high performing teams. Many great leaders and companies swear by them. However, just because you’re meeting with your team 1:1 does not guarantee great results. You have to make the most of the time, and avoid the many pitfalls you can fall into in them. Not all advice is […]
John Wooden is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He led his UCLA men’s basketball team to a stunning 10 NCAA Championships in 12 years. Over the years, he’s shared his leadership lessons in a variety of books, including one I recently read: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off […]
What’s the most important thing to look for when interviewing a candidate: Prior roles? Skills and qualifications? Reputation and past experience? What if there was another skill that was more likely to predict someone’s success, whether in the workplace, school, or any challenging environment? There is one such skill: Grit. Grit: The key to your […]