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

trust

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Unleashing The Leader Within: More Insights from the Institute for Organization Management

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Unleashing The Leader Within: More Insights from the Institute for Organization Management

In my recent experience at the US Chamber's Institute for Organization Management, I explored the importance of trust in leadership and the concept of "Level 5 Leadership," which emphasizes humility, resolve, and crediting others. The course also covered essential skills like Fanatic Discipline, Productive Paranoia, and Empirical Creativity, highlighting the importance of creating a compelling vision for organizational success. By fostering environments where trust and motivation thrive, leaders can drive their teams toward long-term success and growth.

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Managers Who Motivate: A Preview from the US Chamber's Institute for Organization Management

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Managers Who Motivate: A Preview from the US Chamber's Institute for Organization Management

I am excited to share that this week, as a faculty member of the US Chamber's Institute for Organization Management, I will be teaching over 30 enthusiastic nonprofit leaders on a subject close to my heart: "Managers Who Motivate."

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The 4 Things You Need To Be a Great Remote Leader

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The 4 Things You Need To Be a Great Remote Leader

When it comes to remote work or some variation of it (hybrid work), the only negotiable is the speed at which we are willing to change our workplaces, not the change itself. Hopefully these 4 elements will give you a head start in adapting your workplace. Don’t wait to go completely remote, these tools work well with traditional workplaces too!

Forget the New 2019 Leadership Fad and Try These 13 Back-To-Basics Disciplines To Be A Great Leader

Forget the New 2019 Leadership Fad and Try These 13 Back-To-Basics Disciplines To Be A Great Leader

As I continue to travel around and see various businesses and organizations trying to get the edge on their competition or the market, I’m still astonished at the lack of basics from our leaders.  Don’t get me wrong, the basics are hard.  And, sometimes they’re not hot or new. And, so they are rarely discussed (even though some of them have been around for years) and barely used. However, they are time-tested and worth consideration. Forget the the 2019 leadership buzzwords and try some of these concepts as you develop your leadership.

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At The Heart of True Innovation are Trust and Vulnerability

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At The Heart of True Innovation are Trust and Vulnerability

Innovation, or the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market, has a lot to do with the tasks, processes, and smart people! However, true innovation relies more on the ability to trust and be vulnerable in the incubator stage of an idea or innovation.

False innovation can be defined, if we borrow some language from vulnerability author Brené Brown as, “the absence of honest conversation about the hard work that takes us from lying facedown in the arena to rising strong has led to two dangerous outcomes: the propensity to gold-plate grit and a badassery deficit.”

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White Paper: Millennials, Brands and Trust - FREE DOWNLOAD

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White Paper: Millennials, Brands and Trust - FREE DOWNLOAD

Based on a presentation given at NYC Relate Live Conference, this 10-page white paper digs down into the concept of the Beloved Brand Triangle that author Matt Harrington created and showcased at the conference.  Learn how Millennials, trust are all intertwined and walk away with key questions to ask your organization and customers to build a more beloved, Millennial-friendly company.

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Part 3: How "Narrative Belonging" Should Define Today’s Brands for Millennials

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Part 3: How "Narrative Belonging" Should Define Today’s Brands for Millennials

Let’s build out the Beloved Brand Triangle with thesis #3.  The final point on our triangle is narrative belonging.  Narrative Belonging is the ongoing effort by a brand to tell the story continually of how a customer that uses the brand will have a sense of belonging to the product and service that will greatly enhance the customer’s existence and experience.

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Why Millennials Need Authentic Trust in Their Products

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Why Millennials Need Authentic Trust in Their Products

The challenge for many companies is that the Millennial generation will hold you to your sales pitch.  The days of the “snake oil” salesman are dead.  For many companies, who are not entirely truthful, who lack competency and character in their business practices and product, they will rue the day that 93 million Millennials find out that they are in fact not telling the truth.  This generation, who has a rigorous demand for excellence, will hop on their social platforms and announce to the world that you are now deemed untrustworthy.

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Millennials and Their Rigorous Demand for Excellence in Brands

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Millennials and Their Rigorous Demand for Excellence in Brands

Millennials. Brands. Trust. Three things that seemingly go together, yet each one has its own origin story.  Exploring each one is the task at hand for the next month and a half as we prepare for the Relate Live New York City conference on October 22-23.  How we fit these massive topics all into a 45 minute presentation, giving each one its own stage time, while connecting the dots, threading the narrative through all of them to come away with useful insights and nuggets of knowledge for conference goers will be our challenge.