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Articles from Richard Highsmith | Selfgrowth.com
- Does Team Building Work? - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard HighsmithA recent survey carried out in Britain by Vodafone UK and YouGov.com suggests team building doesn’t work. Surveyed workers indicated they feel some team building activities can be a “waste of time, and at worst, are toe-curlingly embarrassing.” The majority surveyed (66%) have participated in ...
Views: 1456 - Five Ways to Grow Teams Through Individual Relationships - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard HighsmithPersonal career growth and team growth are inextricably tied together. Althea Gibson said, “No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.” On the career field there are three types of players. 1. Receivers… take and never give. These team members focus on themselves and ...
Views: 1389 - Effective Problem Solving Requires Team Building - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard HighsmithTruly complicated problems necessitate team solutions. If your team does not function well, its’ problem solving capability will be limited. To tackle intricately detailed problems a team must successfully answer these questions. I recommend answering the questions in sequence and posting the ...
Views: 2536(1 vote) - How Storytell Improves Team Building - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard HighsmithWhen I first graduated from college, I was hired full time at a children’s home. I had been working there part time as a relief childcare worker. With my degree I was promoted to a management position, Assistant Superintendent, over my former co-workers. I saw my situation as advocate for the ...
Views: 1312(1 vote) - Six Warm Up Exercises Guaranteed to Create Energy - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard HighsmithA friend of mine works for a fortune 500 company. He describes his team meetings as “death by powerpoint.” He laments the lack of energy in the meetings and the waste of thousands of dollars in lost productivity. Are you looking for a way to put energy in to your meetings? Here are five ...
Views: 3746(1 vote) - Advantages of Maco-Management - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2013 from Richard Highsmith“When Alexander the Great visited Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for the famed teacher, Diogenes replied: 'Only stand out of my light.' Perhaps some day we shall know how to heighten creativity. Until then, one of the best things we can do for creative men and women is to stand ...
Views: 1273(1 vote) - Acknowledge the importance of Teammates - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Richard Highsmith“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” - Dr. William James People need... not just want, but need... approval. This is a fundamental principle of human behavior. A three-year-old child demonstrates this principle of human behavior every time he utters the ...
Views: 1716(1 vote) - Ask Other Temmates Questions - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Richard HighsmithAsk, and then listen. Really listen. Tap the creativity and differing perspectives of all employees. An effective leader has learned that good ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. It may be the employee with years of experience who combines innovation with “tried and true” to get the job ...
Views: 1277(1 vote) - Fear Destroys Employee Confidence - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Richard Highsmith“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”- Joseph Chilton Pearce Fear of the boss, or the boss’s system, destroys creativity. Fear creeps into the workplace in many ways: fear of making a mistake; fear of other peoples’ opinions; fear of embarrassment; fear of change. ...
Views: 1313(1 vote) - Top 5 Employee Motivation Activities - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Richard HighsmithWhat are some actions team leaders can take to encourage their teammates? Every competent manager must ask himself or herself this question to maximize team performance. With my background in psychology and experience of owning two successful businesses I have learned the answer to this ...
Views: 3556 - Is Your Workplace Environment Affecting How Employees Work with Each Other - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Richard HighsmithThe short answer to this question is YES! What to do about it requires breaking down the question. Let's begin with what constitutes "workplace environment." OSHA, local and state laws dictate that a law-abiding employer will have a safe, healthy workplace. Setting aside physical concerns leaves ...
Views: 1384 - Team Building Exercises For New Groups - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Richard HighsmithWhen a group is created, the members must build trust among themselves. A facilitator can move this process along through a variety of team building exercises. The intention of the "games" is to get the new group members to loosen up, get to know each other and begin to create trusting ...
Views: 1861 - Five Forces That Shape Who You Become - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Richard Highsmith1. Genetics. "You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are what you make yourself be." - Lou Holtz. When I was in graduate school the "nature" versus "nurture" debate was tilted strongly in the "nurture" direction. Most of my professors were behaviorists and believed ...
Views: 1185 - Understanding Your Teammate's Point of View - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2012 from Richard HighsmithHow often have you found yourself in conflict with a teammate because you see something one way and he/she sees them another? Perspective is a powerful phenomenon. The ancient fable of several blind men describing an elephant illustrates this well. Each was touching the elephant in different ...
Views: 1154 - Understanding Your Teammate's Point of View - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2012 from Richard HighsmithHow often have you found yourself in conflict with a teammate because you see something one way and he/she sees them another? Perspective is a powerful phenomenon. The ancient fable of several blind men describing an elephant illustrates this well. Each was touching the elephant in different ...
Views: 2073 - Four Ideas to Avoid Overreacting to a Teammate - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2012 from Richard HighsmithFor ten years I worked with a manager (I will call him Dallas) who had one tool in his professional toolbox - a hammer. Every problem Dallas ever encountered was a nail. With his limited repertoire of leadership skills, you might wonder how I lasted ten years. Everyone who worked any length of ...
Views: 1248 - Building Trust on Your Team - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2012 from Richard HighsmithTrust is an essential part of team effectiveness. However the strength of trusting relationships varies significantly based on team dynamics. When teammates trust us, they truly take a risk. And with each successive time people put their trust in us and we don't let them down, we reduce that ...
Views: 1344 - Six Steps for Healthy Confrontation in Teams - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2012 from Richard HighsmithConflict resolution is intellectually simple. The most logical solution would be selected and implemented. However, the human factor of emotion can make solutions extraordinarily difficult. Outside the mythical planet of Vulcan where pure logic reigns supreme, conflict resolution requires ...
Views: 3451 - Five Personal Steps to Improve Your Team's Performance - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2012 from Richard HighsmithI know you've heard the expression, "There is no 'I' in team." Au contraire, I believe the "I" is implied and critical to the success of every team. Do you know a team member who is his/her own worst enemy? Group success depends on individuals working together with common goals of improvement ...
Views: 1355 - Team Building Tips from a Bad Boss - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2012 from Richard HighsmithYou probably aren't interested in destroying your team. But sometimes we engage in behavior that ultimately would have that outcome. So it might be helpful to look at ten behaviors that undermine a team's spirit and crush incentive. Hopefully when you are reading these tips you won't find too ...
Views: 1519 - Can Team Building Increase ROI? - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2012 from Richard HighsmithIn their book, Corporate Culture and Performance, Kotter & Heskett offer some amazing statistical claims. First, let me share their book's conclusion. The statistical analysis in the book hypothesizes that organizational culture has a direct influence on economic performance - both positively ...
Views: 2632 - The Growth of Charity Team Building - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Richard HighsmithHumanity has a long history of helping those in need. Charity has been advocated by religion throughout human history. Businesses have contributed to their communities even though such expenditures may not derive any direct benefit. This giving of funds or other assets may gain the company ...
Views: 1442 - Selecting a Quality Team Building Company - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Richard HighsmithI just googled “team building” and got 421 million hits in .13 seconds. Talk about overkill. Facing this daunting task, how do you go about finding the right type of event and the company that will deliver a high quality team building event? Here are some suggestions to help you make the ...
Views: 1418 - Six Ways to Cultivate Relationships on a Team - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Richard HighsmithA highly functional team is everybody’s ticket to success. Your team can make or break your career. Here are six ways to improve the relationships on your team. 1. Dedication – “If you don't make a total commitment to whatever you're doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time ...
Views: 1471 - Twelve Steps to Effectively Manage a Creative Meeting - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Richard HighsmithThere are many reasons for a leader to hold meeting, including but not limited to the dissemination of information, planning for an upcoming week, allowing opportunities for different divisions and/or groups within the organization to share ideas, or review of company policy. Occasionally a ...
Views: 1268 - Four Steps to Resolve Conflict - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2012 from Richard Highsmith1. Look for some type of common ground as soon as possible. A number of years ago, I owned a small manufacturing company. We had grown to the point we needed to triple the size of our rented space. I located a building just down the street from the existing location and began negotiations ...
Views: 1115 - Popularity of Bicycle Team Building - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2012 from Richard HighsmithAlmost ten years ago an Event Planner in Dallas asked my colleague to generate a conference event with a philanthropic element. After a good bit of brainstorming on our team, the bicycle team building was created. The Dallas program was warmly received with some minor glitches. We rethought ...
Views: 1402 - Personality Temperaments Effect Communication - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Richard HighsmithBackground: Personality temperaments theory was originally devised in medieval times for understanding human nature. People were looking for simple ways to understand themselves and others. It was believed that everyone had various characteristics, which made up their basic temperament. The ...
Views: 7195 - Three Steps for Leaders to Minimize Conflict - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Richard Highsmith1. Be proactive instead of reactive. One morning when I got out of bed and turned toward the bathroom, I cut a tad too close to the bed. My toe caught the leg of the footboard. !#%*^%$#*!. Once the hollering and jumping around was over, I had a choice to make. I could feel very sorry ...
Views: 2197 - Anxiety in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Richard HighsmithPUBLISHING GUIDELINES: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Anxiety in Public Speaking By: Richard M. Highsmith, M.S. “I can’t believe I ...
Views: 2211(1 vote) - Stuck in the Middle with You - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Richard HighsmithPUBLISHING GUIDELINES: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Stuck in the Middle with You By: Richard M. Highsmith, M.S. When I was first ...
Views: 1593(1 vote) - How to Squish Creativity Like a Bug - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2004 from Richard HighsmithMost Senior Managers will acknowledge the importance of having the support, loyalty and ideas of their subordinates. A company of any size cannot sustain growth on the back of one person. Without a team effort the entrepreneurial spark can be extinguished in the rainstorm of turmoil created by ...
Views: 1445(1 vote)