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This issue contains a quick tip on how to improve discussion at your leadership meetings, plus a new coaching program we are offering.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Val

A common complaint I hear from leaders is around poor discussion and input from team members.  The complaint is usually phrased something like this, “How do we get people to share their ideas and comments at our meetings?  We even send out the agenda ahead of time and no one seems prepared to discuss things. 

Let me offer a simple change that often jumpstarts the discussion.  Instead of creating an agenda with topics to discuss, develop a couple of questions from your original agenda that start people thinking.  For example:

Original Agenda:

1. Financial Update
2. President’s Report
3. Team Leader Issues
4. Etc...

Harvard Business Review

HBR is not usually at the
top of most people’s list
and for obvious reasons. However it’s a good magazine to be familiar
with and to occasionally pick up. Sure, some of it isn’t directly relevant, and some of it is a bit on the academic side, but much of it has application to leadership.
For example over the past 4 months these article have been in HBR:

• The Tools of Cooperation and Change

• Ideas as Art

• Sleep Deficit: Killing Our Performance

• How to Keep “A” Players Productive

• The Decision to Trust

• How Well Run Boards Make Decisions

I acknowledge it may not
be your magazine of
choice. But it’s a helpful magazine for the leader
who wants to be aware of new learning and practice the best in leadership development. With
relevant case studies,
panel discussions and a
host of articles each
month it is an investment worth making.