How unconscious bias impacts decision making
Article appeared in Corridor Business Journal, June 10 – 16, 2019

We know teams make better, faster decisions. When a group creates an environment that respects the diverse skills, talents and viewpoints of its members, great outcomes can happen.

Simply respecting diverse members, however, is not enough. Each of these voices must be heard, considered and understood to build commitment and ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes time to execute. Diversity and inclusion are not the same thing. Read more

Include ‘tell me first’ guideline in core values
Article appeared in Corridor Business Journal, Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, 2018

One of the cornerstone behaviors of a high performing cohesive team is peer-to-peer accountability. When a member believes that someone is not living up to team expectations, she goes directly to her colleague to discuss the behavior and work toward a positive resolution.

“Tell me first” demonstrates loyalty and respect among team members. We show that we value our colleagues when we bring issues and concerns directly to them, not tattling to the boss or gossiping about performance among co-workers. Read more

Is your team a real team?
Article appeared in Corridor Business Journal, June 12 – 18, 2017

I find it interesting when managers introduce me to their procurement team or invite me to spend time with an accounting team. In many cases, these groups are far from what we know to be real teams.

Katzenbach and Smith, in their book, “The Wisdom of Teams,” define a real team as “a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, shared performance goals and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.”

On the other hand, a working group is made up of people who have individual goals and perform their tasks independently. While they come together to share information and best practices (aka staff meetings), they do not take responsibility for any results other than their own. Working groups are typically characterized by a strong, clearly visible leader. Read more

Do you have what it takes to bounce back?
Article appeared in Corridor Business Journal, Oct. 30 – Nov. 5, 2017

You don’t have to be very old or have been in the working world very long to have experienced adversity or disappointment. Maybe the promotion you were counting on went to someone else. Perhaps you found yourself struggling in a new role, feeling like a failure when what you needed most was a small win. Sometimes the waves of change swallow us up and spit us out on the shore, shaken and defeated. Read more

Team building pays big dividends
Article appeared in Corridor Business Journal, July 13-19, 2015

Teamwork is to business like gears are to a machine. When they are well-oiled and aligned, everything turns smoothly and great work gets done. Communication is clear and timely, creative ideas flow seamlessly, productivity soars and engagement peaks as people love what they do and who they do it with. Read more