How do I look good to my boss? How do I stay on the same page as them? What do I do to avoid unwanted surprises with my manager? What are the best approaches to managing up well? These are common questions mid level leaders and individual contributors alike ask themselves when they start working […]
“I never authorized it, I never asked for it, I never signed any paperwork for it,” said Aaron Brodie. Brodie is a Texan 911 dispatcher. In 2012, he was sent a credit card without his permission. Upset, he contacted his Wells Fargo’s branch to cancel it. Strangely, they refused. However, the bank promised that if […]
What makes an effective leader? Typical answers include: a high IQ, a “hustle” attitude, and a big personality. But today, many experts are embracing another answer: high emotional intelligence. The concept of emotional intelligence or the emotional quotient (EQ) is relatively new. But, it’s the skill separating an average manager from an effective leader that […]
“Hire slow, fire fast.” If you’ve read anything on hiring, you’ve probably heard that mantra. It’s one of those sayings that gets injected into most hiring process conversations at some point. Whether you agree with it, or despise it, you’re still left with the same question: how do I make better hiring decisions? What interview […]
“Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.” – Warren Buffett, billionaire and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Learning how to be a great leader is a never ending journey. Good leaders are constantly […]
What are managers and leaders like you most interested in learning about? What topics should you not miss as you start the New Year off on the right foot? We write about what leaders like you tell us you’re looking for help with. Nearly 90% of all posts we write come directly from emails or comments from […]
A Lighthouse reader emailed recently asking the important question, “How can I set up expectations each way without sounding like a child when I say, “I’d like weekly one-on-ones!” First of all, it’s a very mature decision to ask for 1 on 1s; you are telling your manager you want to have strong, effective, structured […]
“Business books are all the same. A few good ideas and 100 pages of fluff.” If you or a friend reads regularly, you may be plagued by this unfortunate fact of life for many of the most common books for leaders. Andy Grove, legendary CEO of Intel, even went so far as to write about […]
Are you a skeptic of 1:1 meetings? Or are you a fan and advocate? Whether you need convincing yourself, or are looking to make a case for others to have one on ones, this is the post for you. It’s historically been difficult to put a real value on soft skills. Yet, any good leader […]
What could make you a great manager without major changes? How could just a couple words have that kind of impact? Believe it or not, I already used both words in this post. And if you start using them more, you can be a great manager, too. Today, we tackle why these words matter, and […]
