Total Alignment Blog

Team Leadership 101: Creating a Culture of Performance

Culture is one of the most important factors to organization’s success because it defines how things are done and how people behave. Culture is the learned assumptions on which people base their daily behavior, drawing on phrases like “the way we do things around here.” Culture drives the organization, its actions and results, and guides how employees think, act and feel. Continue reading “Team Leadership 101: Creating a Culture of Performance”

To Become A True Leader You Must Implement These Three Things

The word “leader” is thrown around quite a bit in today’s society: team leader, natural leader, world leader, etc. But what does it really mean to be a leader, and how can you become one?  Let’s talk about three key elements that you need to address to become a true leader. Continue reading “To Become A True Leader You Must Implement These Three Things”

How Leaders Can Facilitate Change in Others

The word “change” automatically conjures up a wide range of responses in people.

Some people embrace it and some people resist it. Experienced and successful leaders will agree that effective change demands planning. Developing the skills and a process to realize and manage organizational change requires enhanced leadership abilities. How do you gain the support of your employees for even the most drastic of changes? Let’s take a look at some key behaviors to facilitate change in others. Continue reading “How Leaders Can Facilitate Change in Others”

7 Reasons Leaders Fail at True Leadership

In the recent past, we’ve witnessed the public downfall of leaders from almost every area of the news—business, politics, religion, and sports. But regardless of what sector or discipline, the distance between a beloved leader and a despised failure is smaller than we think. Leadership is both a science and an art that is constantly evolving and operating. To be a good leader requires motivating, monitoring, and developing yourself through active hands-on involvement with your organization. To avoid a leadership failure, pay attention to these behaviors that can act as a warning sign. Continue reading “7 Reasons Leaders Fail at True Leadership”

7 Behaviors That Create A Great Corporate Culture

Promoting a successful and innovative cultural environment often requires changes in current behaviors and attitudes. These seven behaviors, when adopted, will promote a sustainable and positive environment that is guaranteed to attract and keep top people. Continue reading “7 Behaviors That Create A Great Corporate Culture”

Abandon Performance Appraisals and Build Something New – Here’s How!

Classic performance review has been around since the mid 1900s. With the limitations that it has – its amazing that it has lasted this long!  According to a recent article in Forbes magazine [March 31, 2015], only 55 percent of employees feel as though performance management appraisals are effective. Earlier articles published in talent management and human resources literature identify 50 problems with Performance Appraisals. A Forbes magazine article in 2012 referred to Performance Appraisal in a strong language as the “a workplace evil that must be destroyed like a blood sucking vampire.” Continue reading “Abandon Performance Appraisals and Build Something New – Here’s How!”

4 Ways Leaders Can Improve Their Behavior

As mentioned in a previous post, the behavior of leaders should ideally reflect the values of the organization. But accomplishing this goal may call for some change in behaviors. From quitting smoking to exercising regularly to getting more organized, most of us have a list of behaviors we’d like to change. We are all familiar with the need to change and the challenge of initiating and sustaining the change. Let’s look at 4 ways that leaders can be proactive and improve their behavior to set the example for their organizations. Continue reading “4 Ways Leaders Can Improve Their Behavior”

7 Habitual Leadership Behaviors You Should Avoid At All Costs

Corporate culture is the key to building a great organization. A positive or healthy culture creates an environment of unity and encouragement and fosters innovation. The results are progress, high quality of work and advancement. The byproducts are high productivity, profitability and innovation. A negative or unhealthy corporate culture, however, causes disunity, apathy and may even lead to the demise of the corporation. Behaviors determine the quality of the culture. Here are 7 habitual behaviors that are indicators of an unhealthy organizational culture and should therefore be avoided at all costs. Continue reading “7 Habitual Leadership Behaviors You Should Avoid At All Costs”

9 of My Favorite Leadership Quotes

During my years of consulting and working with thousands of managers in several countries, I have come across patterns of behavior that have been key to the success of organizations and others that have hindered progress. I have distilled these observations into a few quotes that capture the essence of our message to business leaders: Continue reading “9 of My Favorite Leadership Quotes”