David Maxfield
Salt Lake City
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Articles by David Maxfield
Kommunikation: Wenn E-Mails zu Konflikten führen
Foto: ILLUSTRATION: HAYON THAPALIYA Es war Montagmorgen. Lee öffnete sein E-Mail-Postfach und fand eine Nachricht seines Vorgesetzten: "Lee, ich habe entschieden, dass Carlos dem Zentralvorstand präsentieren soll und nicht du. Sicherlich hast du Verständnis dafür." Lee hatte das ganze Wochenende damit verbracht, die Präsentation vorzubereiten. Er kannte nicht nur die Zahlen in- und auswendig, sondern freute sich auch auf die Gelegenheit, sein Gesicht einmal beim Vorstand zu zeigen.
How to React to Biased Comments at Work
Bias at work can be overt and insidious. It can be shocking and enraging. But the subtle “Wait, what just happened?” moments are far more frequent. Take these examples: A client assumes you are in a subordinate role because of your age. A prospective customer only makes eye contact with your white colleague. A coworker calls you “angry” while your equally assertive male counterpart gets labeled “strong” (a far too often occurrence for women as one of our previous studies showed).
Crucial Conversations amidst Controversy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Maxfield is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. READ MORE Dear Readers, I created a firestorm with my response to last week’s question about the crucial conversations world leaders are having about climate change. Like most people, I obviously have my own views on global warming. However, I didn’t intend to write a political column and I am sorry it came out that way.
Changing Racist Behavior
Dear Crucial Skills, Do you have any resources related to the Influencer model for dealing with racism in the workplace? Dealing with Racism Dear Dealing, This year alone, employees from four organizations approached me about handling racist incidents including nooses hanging over lockers, swastikas painted on doors, hate language written on bathroom mirrors, and racist epithets used during large meetings.
5 Steps for Leaders Struggling to Lead Positive Change
Our research shows nearly three out of four organizations are infected with one or more of the costly behaviors of gossiping, shifting blame and turfism. According to the study, infected organizations experience significantly worse results across the board—with decreased productivity, quality, safety, customer satisfaction, employee morale and higher turnover.
A Leader’s Guide to Effective Dialogue Under Pressure
by David MaxfieldOn February 20, 2020 0 comments How can managers become measurably more effective? To answer this question, I studied crucial moments. I wondered in moments when the stakes are high, and the pressure is on, do managers remain calm, candid, direct, and willing to listen? Or do their direct reports describe them as angry, closed-minded, rejecting, even devious? And, how does either style affect results and relationships?
5 skills employees and leaders need to survive a recession and protect their businesses from going under
David Maxfield is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leading social scientist for business performance. He leads the research function at VitalSmarts, a corporate training and leadership development company. When it comes to recession preparedness, more than half of today’s workforce won’t be prepared with five key skills, according to a new VitalSmarts study. To weather a recession, leaders should “skill up” and train their workforces as soon as possible.
5 skills employees and leaders need to survive a recession and protect their businesses from going under
David Maxfield is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leading social scientist for business performance. He leads the research function at VitalSmarts, a corporate training and leadership development company. When it comes to recession preparedness, more than half of today’s workforce won’t be prepared with five key skills, according to a new VitalSmarts study. To weather a recession, leaders should “skill up” and train their workforces as soon as possible.
5 skills employees and leaders need to survive a recession and protect their businesses from going under
Associated PressIn this Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, trader Andrew Silverman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. David Maxfield is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leading social scientist for business performance. He leads the research function at VitalSmarts, a corporate training and leadership development company.
5 skills employees and leaders need to survive a recession and protect their businesses from going under
David Maxfield 2019-12-17T13:15:00Z More icon Three evenly spaced dots forming an ellipsis: "...". Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. In this Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, trader Andrew Silverman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Associated Press David Maxfield is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leading social scientist for business performance.
5 skills employees and leaders need to survive a recession and protect their businesses from going under
David Maxfield 2019-12-17T13:15:00Z More icon Three evenly spaced dots forming an ellipsis: "...". Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. In this Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, trader Andrew Silverman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Associated Press David Maxfield is a New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and leading social scientist for business performance.
A Leader’s Guide to Effective Communication Under Pressure
How can a manager become measurably more effective? To answer this question, scholars, scientists and leaders have studied personality traits; others have tried to understand and categorize management styles. While these studies yield appealing insights, they are difficult to emulate. Evidence is lacking that these approaches to managerial effectiveness have enabled managers to markedly improve their personal influence and results.
5 Tips to Protect Your Productivity and Your Performance
Carmen is a new hire with lots of potential. Her last employer described her as a star performer, even right out of college. “She can handle anything,” her previous manager raved. “Whatever we threw at her she accomplished—and she did it well.” While her new position is a stretch-role, she’s confident she can do it all—or at least find a way to make it happen. She’s got lofty career ambitions and a reputation to uphold. Saying “no” is simply not an option.
A Simple Communication Mistake to Avoid
Eleanor and I were fast asleep at my parents’ house in upstate New York when my five-year-old daughter Sophia came running in. “Look out the window!” she screamed, as she pulled on our shades. I looked at my watch: 6 a.m. Not bad. Sophia was jumping with excitement as the shade opened, revealing about a foot of new powder. “Let’s go skiing!” A few hours later, I stood with Sophia and her eight-year-old sister, Isabelle, at the top of an intermediate slope we had all skied many times.
A Leader’s Guide to Effective Dialogue Under Pressure
How can a manager become measurably more effective? To answer this question, scholars, scientists and leaders have studied personality traits; others have tried to understand and categorize management styles. While these studies yield appealing insights, they are difficult to emulate. Evidence is lacking that these approaches to managerial effectiveness have enabled managers to markedly improve their personal influence and results.
When Leaders Can't Manage Stress, It Impacts Their Team
As a leader, much of what you do is relatively forgettable. We don’t mean to insult, but your routine actions on routine days are experienced by your direct reports as, well, routine. But for non-routine days — the days when you are under the gun, feeling the heat, or pushed to your limits — how you respond under the pressure makes an indelible impression on the people around you.
When Managers Break Down Under Pressure, So Do Their Teams
As a leader, much of what you do is relatively forgettable. We don’t mean to insult, but your routine actions on routine days are experienced by your direct reports as, well, routine. But for non-routine days — the days when you are under the gun, feeling the heat, or pushed to your limits — how you respond under the pressure makes an indelible impression on the people around you.
How to Avoid The 3 Mistakes L&D Leaders Make When Addressing Workplace Harassment
Peter Drucker said it best: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In the past two decades, more and more organizations have deployed strategies for reducing and eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace. The recent #MeToo movement has proven just how right Drucker was: the cultures of these organizations have devoured the most well-intended strategies. When it comes to issues that impact women in the workplace, organizations don’t mean to be bad.
A Study of 1,100 Employees Found That Remote Workers Feel Shunned and Left Out
When it comes to virtual teams, if you’re out of sight, you’re also out of mind. While more and more people are working remotely, our recent study suggests that unless we take extra measures to build trust and connection with colleagues, we pay dearly for doing so. Long gone are the days when most teams not only worked physically side-by-side but also lived in the same cities, ate at the same res taurants, and even had kids who attended the same schools.
The Easiest Way to Change People’s Behavior
I was on an old, rustic train lumbering through the plains of Harambe, Africa (at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida) when I noticed a majestic lion sitting on a rock on top of a hill, in perfect view. “Aren’t we lucky the lion is out,” I mused to the “ranger” on the train with us. “He’s always out there, sitting on that rock,” he responded. “Really?” I said. “How do you get him to stay in that exact spot?” Several years ago I lived in Savannah GA.
Most People Are Supportive of #MeToo. But Will Workplaces Actually Change?
The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements continue to create a tidal wave of media activity and increased awareness of sexual harassment and misconduct. But have they created positive changes in workplaces? A recent survey shows that a majority of people see the movements as healthy, but only a small percentage reported seeing positive improvements in their offices.
It’s Time for a Vendetta Against Email
The better I get at filtering and managing my email, the more convinced I am that email overload may be an intractable problem. All the email tips, strategies and systems I have seen — my own included— rest on two fundamental assumptions: If you’re working smartly and efficiently, you can appropriately process (read, file and/or respond to) every email you receive. It is unacceptable to ignore (i.e. not respond to) an email that implicitly or explicitly asks for a response.
To Recover Faster from Rejection, Shift Your Mindset
Everyone knows what rejection feels like. It’s a universal (and universally disliked) experience, but it’s one that we each experience differently. For the most part, people are pretty good at moving on with their lives — even better than they might guess. Sometimes, though, getting rejected hurts more than we expect, especially if our immediate response is to become self-critical. So what makes one person more resilient than another in the face of rejection?
When an Email Exchange Turns Ugly
It was Monday morning, and Lee opened his inbox to find an email from his manager: “Lee, I’ve decided to have Carlos present to the governing board, instead of you. I’m sure you’re good with this.” Lee had spent the entire weekend preparing for the presentation. Not only did he know the numbers inside and out, he was also excited to get some face time with the board. Performing well would be a good move for his career.
What Everyone Should Know About Running Virtual Meetings
According to a Work-Life Fit survey, nine out of 10 U.S. employees believe that their boss trusts them to get their work done – regardless of where or when. It’s yet another indicator that the perpetual (and decades long) conversation about the flexible work environment has finally shifted. It’s no longer about whether or not to offer a policy — that’s been settled. Instead, the focus should now turn to the infrastructure and overall company strategy to make remote work successful.
Make Sure Your Resume Survives the Six-Seconds Test
When writing or revising your resumé, you ought to look at it as an advertisement you’re putting out in the job market. It is one advertisement among many thousands, competing for attention. How do you get your resumé to catch a recruiter’s eye? And how do you convince them — quickly — that you’re the perfect fit for the job they’re looking to close? According to research, recruiters spend an average of only six seconds on each resumé. That’s why the summary at the top is so important.
5 Tips for Writing Your Self-Appraisal
Adapted from How to Write the Dreaded Self-Appraisal by Amy Gallo. You may also like: Take the Lead at Your Next Performance Review The Value of an Honest Performance Review
How to Increase Your Influence at Work
To be effective in organizations today, you must be able to influence people. Your title alone isn’t always enough to sway others, nor do you always have a formal position. So, what’s the best way to position yourself as an informal leader? How do you motivate colleagues to support your initiatives and adopt your ideas? How can you become a go-to person that others look to for guidance and expert advice?
To Handle Increased Stress, Build Your Resilience
Wherever you live or work, stress is on the rise. According to the International Labour Organization, workers in developed and developing countries are facing increasing strain at work. The onslaught of mounting stressors include global challenges, such as climate change, terrorism, and political turmoil – as well as personal and professional challenges, such as illnesses, job changes, and organizational restructuring. For many of us, the initial response to stress is to look for external fixes.
Nitin Paranjpe's Secrets For Managing Your Career
Simple lessons from Nitin Paranjpe, President Home Care at Unilever, on how you can manage and move ahead in your career.
When an Email Exchange Turns Ugly
It was Monday morning, and Lee opened his inbox to find an email from his manager: “Lee, I’ve decided to have Carlos present to the governing board, instead of you. I’m sure you’re good with this.” Lee had spent the entire weekend preparing for the presentation. Not only did he know the numbers inside and out, he was also excited to get some face time with the board. Performing well would be a good move for his career.
When an Email Exchange Turns Ugly
It was Monday morning, and Lee opened his inbox to find an email from his manager: “Lee, I’ve decided to have Carlos present to the governing board, instead of you. I’m sure you’re good with this.” Lee had spent the entire weekend preparing for the presentation. Not only did he know the numbers inside and out, he was also excited to get some face time with the board. Performing well would be a good move for his career.
7 Skills You Need to ManageRemote Employees
Co-located teams are fast becoming commonplace. Technology makes it possible for employees to work from home, a café, or an airplane seat. Employers increasingly offer remote opportunities in order to reduce real estate costs and entice top talent, which often includes tech-savvy millennials eager to embrace digital nomadism.
Are You a 10? The productivity secrets of top performers - Utah Business
Sara can’t concentrate on what her daughter is saying. She’s frantically trying to recall the commitment she made to a now-angry customer. “Did I get this answer right?” her daughter asks as she works on her math homework. But Sara’s daughter doesn’t really expect much of a reply. She’s used to a mommy who’s there, but not really there. She puts away her unfinished homework while Sara stares into space, heart racing, palms sweaty with anxiety, head spinning. What else has slipped her mind?
A Study of 1,100 Employees Found That Remote Workers Feel Shunned and Left Out
New research shows that remote employees are more likely to feel left out and ganged up on than their on-site colleagues. Specifically, they worry that coworkers say bad things behind their backs, make changes to projects without telling them in advance, lobby against them, and don’t fight for their priorities. Managers may be tempted to cancel remote work programs and get everyone back in the office, but instead they should change their own behavior.
The 5 Skills of Highly Valuable and Highly Productive Employees
It’s no surprise managers rate their top performers as their most valuable employees. VitalSmarts’ latest research sought to measure just how much more valuable top performers are and exactly what it is they do that makes them so valuable. Our study of more than 1,500 employees found that top performers aren’t just a little bit more valuable. Rather, both managers and peers say top performers are three times more valuable than the average employee.
5 Habits of the Most Valuable and Productive Employees
It’s no surprise managers rate top performers as their most valuable employees. What might not be as obvious is the massive impact a top performer has on an organization. A recent study revealed employees rated by their managers as “nines” and “tens” on a 10-point performance scale are three times more valuable to the organization than the average employee. Not only are nines and tens more valuable, but they complete more work.
Put power behind your words
Whether you want to peddle your barbecue sauce or your hand-made T-shirts, or just want to be an informed consumer, A La Carte is worth the read. Peter Chapman is a local author who invites us into the world of retail food marketing. He has more than 20 years’ experience in this world and he knows it inside out. This little book is easy reading for both consumers and for small business owners trying to attract the big guys.
5 Useful Performance Management Takeaways From Sports
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The latest issue of Talent Management Excellence Essentials is live. This publication showcases strategies for managing talent, performance of employees and processes, as well as compensation programs.
Managing in Tech: Exude Cool, Thrive Under Pressure and Dance with Your Stars – Workforce Magazine
Every industry swears it is unique, that its business environment requires a distinct set of leadership skills and practices. But no sector can make the case for uniqueness better than technology. Its combination of high-velocity competition, complexity, global talent and interdependence among rivals is unmatched. Dense geographic concentrations foster even more cultural idiosyncrasies. While exotic anecdotes about tech culture make for fun social commentary (“My husband and I work at competitors.
How to React to Biased Comments at Work
Bias at work is sometimes overt and insidious but the subtle, “Wait, what just happened?” moments are far more frequent. And when you aren’t sure if someone is being prejudiced or not, it’s hard to know how to deal with the situation. Leaders implement policies that prohibit discrimination against protected classes, but rules can’t prevent unconscious, unintentional bias. While organizational cultures need to change, individual also need strategies for coping.
Pink Slips of the Tongue: How to Recover From a Catastrophic Comment
Nearly everyone has either seen or suffered from a catastrophic comment. Our research shows 83 percent have witnessed their colleagues say something that has had catastrophic results on their careers, reputations, and businesses. And 69 percent admit to personally making a catastrophic comment. While putting your foot in your mouth is easy to do, we wondered if just any slip of the tongue can be fatal to your career, or if there are some comments that are far more damaging than others.
How a Culture of Silence Eats Away at Your Company
Most people think they will speak up when something negative happens at work, but few actually do. Take these examples from a recent survey we did with managers and employees: “We had an assistant who created a very adversarial atmosphere. We walked on eggshells around her. People would rather do her work themselves than engage with her. Her boss wouldn’t even cross her. This went on for years until she retired.” “Instead of confronting a problem in a project plan, it was whispered about.
How to Reduce Gender Bias When Employees Dissent
Picture yourself in a meeting with other managers. You’ve been charged with making decisions that will alter the course of a large division within your company. After hours of discussion, you think the group has agreed upon the changes that must be made, but there is one holdout — the newest member of the group. And this manager is not shy about expressing disagreement. “I’m not on board with the direction this group is taking us — and before someone interrupts me, let me finish.
Leaders Need Different Skills to Thrive in Tech
You accept your first job as a manager in a fast growth tech company, thinking: “How much different could this be from my former company—a financial services firm? Management is management, right?” But by the end of the first month you feel confused and disoriented.
How to Talk Politics at Work Without Alienating People
Lunch seems pretty tame until your boss announces, “Build a wall, and deport them all! Who is with me?” or “Only lunatics want assault weapons – we should ban them all tomorrow!” An awkward silence descends as your boss awaits your confirmation. Here’s the problem: you vehemently disagree, but you love your job and your colleagues, including your boss. You also worry that staying silent will be interpreted as agreement.
The Delicate Art of Gracefully Recovering From a Verbal Blunder by @vitalsmarts
We're searching for top company cultures to be featured on our annual list. Think your company has what it takes? Apply Now » Sarah was hired as a sales lead in a retail store. Within a month, both store managers quit. Sarah and another colleague were left to run the store with zero training or management support during the busy holiday season.
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