Culture, Leadership, People
Matthew Harrington
Unlock the Secrets to Revitalize and Retain ...

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.

Unlock the Secrets to Revitalize and Retain Your Staff: E-Book Launch Today!
People, Leadership
Matthew Harrington
The Deep Ocean Model – Unseen Currents of ...

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.

The Deep Ocean Model – Unseen Currents of Belief and the Behavior That Shape Us
People, Leadership
Matthew Harrington
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.

The Leader as a Gardener of People: Maturity
Leadership, People
Matthew Harrington
The Leader as a Gardener of People: Disgruntled ...

The "Disgruntled" stage in a follower’s development mirrors the secondary growth phase of plants, where individuals become experienced but may harbor negative attitudes and exhibit inconsistent behavior. These team members often have high aptitude but are susceptible to negativity, which can impact both their performance and the morale of others. Leaders must address these behaviors through open communication, setting clear expectations, and providing opportunities for growth to help them re-engage positively with the organization.

The Leader as a Gardener of People: Disgruntled Stage
People, Leadership
Matthew Harrington
The Leader as a Gardener of People: Adolescent ...

The "Adolescent" stage of follower development, akin to the teenage years, is a critical period where initial enthusiasm fades, and individuals start testing boundaries while seeking greater responsibility. Leaders must adopt a coaching approach that balances support and accountability, addressing behaviors that don’t align with organizational values, reinforcing early wins, and consistently adhering to established boundaries and goals. By proactively coaching and maintaining a positive environment, leaders can help their team members navigate this transitional phase and continue their growth into confident, competent contributors.

The Leader as a Gardener of People: Adolescent Stage

managers

…And Now Some Love (and Understanding) for Gen-X

…And Now Some Love (and Understanding) for Gen-X

Even though this is GrowingMillennialLeadership.com, it’s also important for us to look at other generations and understand what makes them tick and why they are the way they are.  I have a Gen-X friend and colleague who likes to give me a hard time for posting so much about Millennials.  So for him, and all of you ‘latchkey’ kids out there (including my older brother), this one’s for you.

As we have with other generations let’s explore some of the characteristics (both labeled and self-induced) of Gen-X.  Remember, generations are more defined by life’s events that occurred during their forming years, then the actual dates in which they were born.  As historian Robert Wohl put it, “historical generations aren’t born; they are made.”  Gen-X, born approximately between 1965 -1980, have been labeled pragmatic, lazy, rebellious, pessimistic, able to take a punch, single, and solitary.  Unlike the size of Baby Boomers (80 million) and Millennials (94 million), Gen-X has just about 46 million members, making it a dark horse demographic. They are the middle child of two larger generations and are often labeled the “forgotten generation.”