Insights From Gail
Get solutions to your leadership challenges. Learn how to approach your company culture, employee engagement, and organizational performance through Gail Golden’s leadership blog.
Go placidly: Guidance for life and leadership in ‘Desiderata’
Times are stressful. It’s not the first time we have felt this way and it won’t be the last. Difficult periods make it tough to lead, but there are words and paths to guide us. I recently thought of the Max Ehrmann poem, Desiderata, which opens with, “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.” Maybe you’ll find some inspiration there too.
You’re fired! Harsh penalties for small infractions
Employees are getting fired for seemingly small infractions, but why? Some corporations are cracking down in ways that might be aimed at cutting workers they think are less productive, but firing people for taking some office supplies or printing a personal document on the work printer can cause more problems than it solves.
Values matter: Why corporate culture is more than just a vibe
Corporate culture tends to be a vague, fuzzy set of principles — something created because you’re supposed to have it, not because you intend to follow it or allow it to make a difference. But if we insist that corporate culture provide guidance about how to resolve ethical dilemmas in the workplace, it becomes a useful tool and not just a vibe.
Using AI for business: 6 things leaders need to know
A recent workshop on artificial intelligence taught me a lot about the power and pitfalls of AI for businesses. The professor offered some key steps to help companies nagivate this rapidly advancing technology. check out these 6 key things leaders need to know about AI.
How to break down decision-making at work or the ballot box
As a management psychologist, I'm always interested in the process of decision-making because my job is to help senior leaders make good decisions. Learn more about the types of choices we face and biases that get in the way of rational decision-making. You can also try several approaches to resolve an "avoid-avoid" decision.
Inside the executive brain: What CEOs are thinking about
Ever wonder what CEOs are thinking about? I do, and so does executive search firm Spencer Stuart, which recently published results from a survey of more than 2,000 CEOs and board directors. Questions focused on how these leaders navigate uncertainty, and the answers give us a peek inside the executive brain.
What good employee development looks like
When it comes to teaching and learning, what works in a classroom also is relevant for how business leaders should develop their people. Good employee development is essential to a company's success and to the people who work there.
Top-level leadership transitions require good planning, timing
Leadership transition, especially at the top level, is a relevant issue for U.S. businesses right now as many senior leaders are baby boomers, at or nearing retirement. To plan for a leadership transition, they have several key questions to consider and answer.
It’s time to rethink 3 popular leadership development tools
Many leadership development tools are useful, and as a business coach, I’ve tried most of them over the course of my career. However, I have also seen many of these tools for leadership development create unintended negative consequences.