Leadership, Culture, People
Matthew Harrington
The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, ...

Remote and hybrid work models have reshaped the workplace, with high-performing leaders often excelling due to their autonomy, discipline, and results-oriented approach, while lower-performing employees may struggle without direct supervision. Research, such as the Stanford University study, highlights the benefits of hybrid work, particularly in enhancing productivity and retention, though challenges arise when remote work is poorly managed. The future of work requires organizations to balance flexibility and accountability, fostering environments that empower diverse employees and adapt to changing expectations.

The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, and the Leadership Question
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of ...

This post explores the critical role of strategic planning and visioning in helping organizations navigate uncertainty and long-term challenges. It emphasizes the importance of staying at a strategic level, resisting the pull toward immediate tactical fixes, and focusing on the pillars that drive success: leadership, innovation, operations, and customer focus. With actionable steps and insights, it provides a framework for crafting meaningful, future-oriented plans that transform strategic dreams into achievable realities.

Strategic Planning Season: The Importance of Vision in Uncertain Times
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
The Overlap of Conflict, Vulnerability, Trust, ...

True innovation exists at the intersection of trust, vulnerability, and constructive conflict. As leaders, our role is to create the conditions for innovation to thrive. That means checking our egos, fostering trust, and modeling vulnerability. It means leaning into conflict, embracing discomfort, and having the courage to confront the most brutal facts of our current reality.

The Overlap of Conflict, Vulnerability, Trust, and Innovation
Leadership, Culture
Matthew Harrington
Putting Values Into Action: The Cornerstone of ...

When teaching or coaching emerging leaders, one topic I push hard on is values. Values refer to the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that define what an individual, organization, or community stands for. These principles act as a moral and operational compass, influencing behavior, decision-making, and culture.  They are part of the magic three: mission, vision and values.

Putting Values Into Action: The Cornerstone of Leadership
Leadership
Matthew Harrington
Election Reflection: When Does a Vision Become ...

Reflecting on the recent election, the Harris campaign's lack of a clear and compelling vision became evident in contrast to Trump’s well-communicated stance, making it challenging for voters to see her future for America. Drawing from the change formula, a successful campaign requires acknowledging dissatisfaction, defining a visionary goal, and setting clear steps toward achieving it—elements that were more apparent in Obama’s 2008 campaign, where “hope and change” aligned with voters' aspirations and activated widespread engagement. Ultimately, the Harris campaign's struggles highlight the need for leaders to craft a vision that resonates powerfully and unites people around a shared purpose, as fear alone can often overshadow hope if it lacks sufficient clarity and preparation.

Election Reflection: When Does a Vision Become Lost—or Was It Never Realized in the First Place?

People

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The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, and the Leadership Question

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The Shifting Dynamics of Work: Remote, Hybrid, and the Leadership Question

Remote and hybrid work models have reshaped the workplace, with high-performing leaders often excelling due to their autonomy, discipline, and results-oriented approach, while lower-performing employees may struggle without direct supervision. Research, such as the Stanford University study, highlights the benefits of hybrid work, particularly in enhancing productivity and retention, though challenges arise when remote work is poorly managed. The future of work requires organizations to balance flexibility and accountability, fostering environments that empower diverse employees and adapt to changing expectations.

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Navigating Conflict in the Workplace: The Downstairs, Middle Room and Upstairs of Resolution

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Navigating Conflict in the Workplace: The Downstairs, Middle Room and Upstairs of Resolution

Conflict at work is inevitable, but with the right tools, it can become an opportunity for growth. In this post we explore how leaders can guide teams through conflict by understanding how the brain processes emotions through the downstairs, middle room, and upstairs functions of the brain.

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Belief-Behavior Conversations In Action: How Pixar Transformed Team Dynamics and Communication

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Belief-Behavior Conversations In Action: How Pixar Transformed Team Dynamics and Communication

Belief-behavior conversations, as we discussed in our e-book: Revitalize and Retain Staff, aim to address the root causes behind actions, rather than merely correcting surface-level behavior. Pixar’s leadership used this approach to facilitate open, meaningful dialogues, helping the team uncover the underlying beliefs fueling their actions. Once these beliefs were identified, leaders guided team members toward reframing them, creating lasting behavioral change.

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Leadership Growth Lattice in Action: How LinkedIn Embraced Holistic Employee Development to Drive Retention and Innovation

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Leadership Growth Lattice in Action: How LinkedIn Embraced Holistic Employee Development to Drive Retention and Innovation

Discover how LinkedIn transformed employee growth and retention with the Leadership Growth Lattice, a modern alternative to traditional career ladders. By encouraging skill development, cross-functional teamwork, mentorship, volunteerism, and alignment with personal life goals, LinkedIn fostered a culture of continuous learning and flexibility. This holistic approach empowered employees, reduced turnover, and fueled innovation, positioning LinkedIn as a top employer in the competitive tech industry.

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The C.A.M.P. Model In Action: How Google Applied This Theory to Drive Employee Motivation and Innovation

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The C.A.M.P. Model In Action: How Google Applied This Theory to Drive Employee Motivation and Innovation

As Google grew, it faced the challenge of keeping its talented workforce consistently motivated. Financial incentives alone weren’t enough to maintain the high levels of innovation and employee satisfaction required to stay ahead in the competitive tech industry. Google’s leadership recognized the need to focus on intrinsic motivators—those elements that drive long-term engagement and fulfillment beyond salary and perks.

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The Takeaway at the Solutions Summit: Build More Trust in the Workplace

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The Takeaway at the Solutions Summit: Build More Trust in the Workplace

At the recent Vermont Chamber’s Solution Summit, I had the pleasure of discussing a topic that should resonate deeply with leaders today: trust in the workplace. In a world where technology continues to shape the future of work, the importance of human connection and trust can often feel overshadowed. However, as research consistently shows, building trust is the key to a successful and engaged workforce. In this blog, I’ll share some of the insights and strategies I presented.

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Greenthumb Leadership in Action: How Microsoft Used Adaptive Leadership to Boost Employee Retention and Engagement

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Greenthumb Leadership in Action: How Microsoft Used Adaptive Leadership to Boost Employee Retention and Engagement

In the mid-2010s, Microsoft reached a pivotal moment. While the company was a global tech leader, its internal culture was becoming a hindrance. Employee engagement was low, innovation had stagnated, and internal competition was stifling collaboration. Recognizing the need for cultural transformation, CEO Satya Nadella placed employee engagement and resilience at the heart of the company’s strategy, sparking a leadership overhaul that would play a key role in Microsoft's resurgence.

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Unlock the Secrets to Revitalize and Retain Your Staff: E-Book Launch Today!

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Unlock the Secrets to Revitalize and Retain Your Staff: E-Book Launch Today!

We are thrilled to announce the release of our new e-book, "Revitalize and Retain Staff", now available for free download on our website! This comprehensive guide is packed with actionable strategies designed to boost employee engagement, retention, and resilience. Whether you're leading a small team or managing a large organization, this resource is your roadmap to creating a thriving workplace where people want to stay, grow, and succeed.

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The Deep Ocean Model – Unseen Currents of Belief and the Behavior That Shape Us

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The Deep Ocean Model – Unseen Currents of Belief and the Behavior That Shape Us

This post draws parallels between ocean currents and human behavior, suggesting that just as deep currents shape the surface waves, underlying beliefs drive visible behaviors. These beliefs, though often unseen, influence actions and decisions in the workplace, making it essential for leaders to uncover and address them rather than merely focusing on surface behaviors. By engaging in meaningful belief discussions, leaders can guide behavior changes, much like oceanographers study currents to predict and influence ocean movements.

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The Leader as a Gardener of People: Maturity

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The Leader as a Gardener of People: Maturity

The final stage of development, Maturity, represents team members who have high aptitude and attitude, capable of bearing fruit and mentoring others. Leaders should empower these individuals by delegating responsibilities and encouraging them to guide those in earlier stages, like the Adolescent follower. By assessing and strategically supporting each team member's growth, leaders can cultivate a thriving and productive environment where everyone can flourish.