Leader Feeder

Could you show your team more attention as a leader? About 100 years ago in the suburbs of Chicago, Hawthorne, Illinois, there was research being done at the Western Electric Company. That research has become known as the “Hawthorne Effect” and has since been quoted in many management texts. It explored the effect of increasing […]

How do you move your team from being dysfunctional to being successful? There are a few ways to do so and to be more successful. A lot of this advice is based on Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and his follow up book called The Advantage. Mr. Lencioni lays out the […]

How clear are you with your team about your expectations? From our book, Employees Not Doing What You Expect, the number one reason that employees do not meet your expectations is because they’re unclear about what you expect. Here are three tips to help them understand and meet your expectations consistently: 1. Clarify your expectations. […]

What kind of supervisor are you? There is a big difference between a supervisor that does the bare minimum and one that is determined to thrive as a leader. At Unique Development, we have seen both. We have trained thousands of leaders from companies in manufacturing, supply chain, logistics and warehousing and other operational environments. […]

Does emotion trump logic, or does logic trump emotion? If one of your team members is upset, frustrated, and emotional, should you talk to them rationally and logically? Even the most logical people tend to be more emotional than they would like to admit. You can make more of an emotional impact on your team […]

How do you put your leadership resolutions into action? Do you know which leadership lessons will help you make lasting change in your team? The reality is most people have ideas and aspirations, but they never build up enough traction to actually get started. They end up tossing their ideas aside before they even have […]

Do you know why you should consider your options?  You don’t want to narrow down your choices too quickly when solving problems or making decisions. My dad always told me when I was buying something, I needed to look at two or three different options. He was coaching me on how to become a better […]

When you approach employees who are in the middle of a heated argument, how do you help resolve the conflict? Use these four questions to help discover what the source of the conflict is and some possible solutions: 1. “What caused the disagreement?”  Most conflicts don’t emerge instantly. They have probably been brewing hard feelings over […]

As a leader, you must show respect to earn respect. Here are three tips to earn respect from your team by showing them respect: The first tip is to acknowledge people. When it comes to being snubbed, people are more sensitive than you might think. Something as simple as not acknowledging someone in the workplace […]

Why should you, the leader, be realistically optimistic? Being realistically optimistic is different from being “Pollyanna optimistic”—where you make promises you can’t keep. Admiral James Stockdale, in his book about the Vietnam War, had this great quote: “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end, which you can never afford to […]

Why should you, as a leader, embrace challenges? It’s tempting to think that challenging events and situations are only stressful and negative, but they can also contribute to some of your greatest strengths as a human being and leader. Here are three tips to reframe your thinking about challenges: Tip number one is to see […]

What if you, as a leader, could clone your top performers? Many leaders fantasize about having the ability to clone their top performers, so they have even more of them in their work group. Of course, we are not talking about a lab experiment where we extract DNA from your best people and breed more […]

How do you ensure your employees are fit for duty and not jeopardizing the health and safety of your team? Your responsibility as a supervisor is to make sure your team is fit for duty. When we say “fit for duty”, we mean making sure employees are able to perform the job tasks required without […]

Should you think of your employees as athletes? Today, I want to talk about an article I read recently that talked about how athletes are conquering distance and whether you can apply some of those same concepts to elevate your team’s performance. The article was in the Wall Street Journal, and it talked about how […]

Many leaders believe that their team doesn’t want to help problem solve or make things better in the department. Some even believe that their team is actively working against their success. This mindset is a big mistake, as it impedes your ability to make the kinds of improvements your department needs in order to satisfy […]

How do you, as a leader, make your team feel “right” or good about what they’re doing, so they can build on those successes? It has been said that one of the basic human needs, especially in the workplace, is a sense of security that you’re competent and doing something right. It’s important, as a […]

Communication can be a challenge in leadership. The good thing is, there are things you can do to communicate more effectively with your team.

Let’s Talk Workplace Problem Solving. Instead of complaining about problems, try converting them into projects to improve your department.

Are you an encouraging or discouraging leader? As a leader, it’s crucial for you to be more encouraging than discouraging. Not only will it impact your organization’s results, but it will also increase the morale and attitude of your group – and in the end, it will make your job as a leader easier. Many […]

Should leaders place more focus on their technical strengths or their interpersonal capability? You might think technical skills are the most important skill sets to have, but it turns out that your employees will judge your leadership on your interpersonal skills. Think about the best manager or supervisor you have ever worked for. When you […]

There are three common things leaders find frustrating in their workgroups, that can be linked back to what they, as the leader, are doing.

There are three common things leaders find frustrating in their workgroups, that can be linked back to what they, as the leader, are doing.

There are three common things leaders find frustrating in their workgroups, that can be linked back to what they, as the leader, are doing.

There are three common things leaders find frustrating in their workgroups, that can be linked back to what they, as the leader, are doing.

As a new leader taking over a workgroup, some employees may decide to test you. Passing those tests will establish you as a confident and respected leader. Here are three strategies to help you pass the test as a new leader: The first strategy is to get to know your team and their capabilities. Being […]