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Welcome Project Team Leader!
This is a blog specifically targeted to you, the Project Team Leader, to enable joy in work in your team. You are in a unique position…you aren’t the boss, but you have authority. The people working on the team do not have to give you 100% (because they report to someone else) AND they are vital for the team to succeed. Ooof.
The goal of this blog is to equip and encourage you for the journey. You and your teams are workhorses of progress. Most new products/services started because of a cross-functional team. Everyone wants innovation, and these teams and team leaders make it happen. Our goal here is to help you, the Team Leader, build a team that wants to work together and succeeds.
Don’t Let Anyone Take That (VALUE) From You
How To Retain Your VALUE “Don’t let anyone take that from you.” Those were the words of advice to me from my dear Grandmother on my graduation day from Kansas State University (go Wildcats!) with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. With my fresh-faced naïveté, I...
What Gets Measured Gets Done…or Does It?
I recently had a senior manager in charge of continual improvement share with me how important metrics were, (as if I hadn’t heard that before) and she ended her pitch with the very firmly stated "Because what gets measured gets done." That is one of the most...
Myers-Briggs vs. StrengthsFinder: Complements or Adversaries?
Have you heard of Myers-Briggs? Do you get excited to look into your personality, your preferences, and communication style? I have found that most team leaders do. I regularly see quizzes on Facebook claiming to tell you what Disney Princess you are, what Muppet...
Joyful News
A New Arrival On November 17th, Amanda and her husband Nathan, welcomed another baby boy into the world. He has been happily greeted by his two brothers and all are doing well. Leading three rambunctious boys will have Amanda and Nathan digging deep into leadership...
How to Make Fewer Decisions
Systematizing to focus on what matters Do you struggle with all the decision making in your day? Ever reached the end of the day completely incapable of making one more choice? Life as a project team leader involves an endless supply of decisions to make. Research...
How Joy Changes You. It’s an Ingredient, Not the Cake.
Enabling Joy is a force multiplier INGREDIENT for great results in work and in every part of our lives. Happiness is an emotional response to those great results, a fleeting feeling. Our job as leaders is to enable joy. When we do that, we unleash the power of the...
The Power of a Mission Statement: When 5 Words Say Much More
"We’re here for the farmer." I was surprised and impressed at such a simple statement that carried with it so much power and mission. Here’s the story…For agricultural supplies for my niche farm, I go to a small supply company. It’s literally nestled in a farm field...
7 Lessons Taught by Stinging Nettles – refreshing some ‘burning’ lessons
It's stinging nettle harvesting season! A good time to refresh some of the lessons we touched on a couple years ago that this obnoxious 'weed' taught me (Paul) as my wife and I converted from nettle hater to nettle aficionado. Some of you may call it burn hazel. A...
Facilitators – How to define the one your situation needs
“I don’t need to be facilitated!” We’ve heard that line over the years, and each time it gives us a bit of a chuckle even though we find it sad that some folks think that people are 'facilitated.' Well, that is not the case. However, hearing that statement highlights...
How to be a Good Leader when Leading without Authority
A leader can be someone who is in charge of a company, project, or team…AND can include lots of others that don’t have that mantle of a position title. How would they lead when they don’t have a title? Leading with influence. As a facilitator for teams, I have the...
Build a team that weathers rough waters of project work to success. Our strategies get at the heart of teams to build them with intentionality. Our checklist for an engaged team diagnoses where your team is strong and not, so you can focus your efforts to stay on course to project success.
