Dr. Rob Lion is a professor, researcher, and consultant that focuses on improving work experiences through the use of evidence-based practices. Rob and his wife, Angie, own Black River Performance Management where they provide a broad range of services ranging from corporate consulting and cultural growth to hiring, training, and managing change. Rob may be reached at info@blackriverpm.com.
A few times a year I get contacted specifically for conflict resolution/mediation services because a group reports that they have no other options but to bring in an outside party to mediate a situation. The following is my typical response to the question as the difference matters, considerably. First and foremost, I am not certified…
As I wrap up my holiday blog season on the gift of feedback, I want to draw attention to a significant factor as it relates to our ability to accept feedback. However, prior to doing that, think back to a time when you received a “gift” that you did not like or even want. Regardless of the event, I think we have all been disappointed at some point in our life by receiving a gift that wasn’t truly aligned with our expectations (you might have wanted a golf club, but instead received a pair of slippers; wanted jewelry but received a kitchen appliance; received a yellow gold diamond ring, but wanted white gold (yes, I’ve learned the hard way).
There is no doubt that some types of feedback can really rattle us. It can cut to the core, even though we know it was necessary. The following is a support solution Angie and I established for our household. Whether it is warranted critical feedback, or not, our approach could be helpful to others. Feedback…
If climbing a mountain is more desirable than providing a person with difficult feedback, you are not alone. Feedback is one of the most valuable culture and behavior-supporting actions leaders, and co-workers can provide to one another. However, providing meaningful and accurate feedback is not always easy, especially in instances when we must provide difficult…
Providing clear and specific feedback is one of the most difficult tasks an employee encounters. Here we explore how to begin to minimize the stress and increase the impact of these difficult conversations.
Have you ever wondered why you might not be able to find the ideal candidates for your postings? Or, perhaps more accurately, you think you found the ideal candidate but over time they fizzle out? Setting aside the present churn we are seeing in the workplace, if you have had problems securing and maintaining candidates…
The big question surrounding the present and future world of work is “what should we expect? If we consider a few, rather dismal current truths about life today, we might not be very optimistic for the future of work 10, 15, 20 years out. We are living in the most politically polarized time in recent…
A consultant I’ve known for a number of years reached out to me recently for my input on a new Performance Appraisal (PA) form he was creating for his clients. We did the back-and-forth feedback exchange and wrapped it up and went on our way. This topic of Performance Appraisals, or Annual Reviews, has always…
One of the things I have found with myself as I take this interesting journey through life is that accurately understanding why I do what I do helps me make sense of both the good and poor decisions I make, whether that is in a work/professional context or a personal context. There is an abundance…
When is the last time you gave a person directions? How was that experience? Did they clearly understand your instructions? What about a person not familiar with the area, the landscape, or the organization, for that matter? Directions and instructions are common ways to share information, but they are often ineffective for the “receivers” because…