Articles

The Mentor’s Way Rule #1: Lead by Following

by Rik Nemanick, Ph.D. This post is the first in the series The Mentor’s Way, a set of guides for mentors who want to bring out the best in others. The old aphorism, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink,” is the foundation of the second rule of mentoring. Many a mentor has fallen into the subtle trap of driving the mentoring process, only to reach a point of disappointment and frustration when the protégé’s energy and enthusiasm begins to wane. The drive that was there at the beginning starts to give way to other...
Read More

Using a Coach to Bring Out Your Leadership Best

by Bob Grace, Ph.D., and Rik Nemanick, Ph.D. Look at your calendar. When during the last few months did you take time to think about the following: What can I do to better motivate my team? How can I challenge them to keep them at their peak? How can I recognize and develop my top performers? How do I work with my stragglers? What challenges will my business face over the next six months to a year? How do I get ready for them? Where do I see my career going? Where will I be in five years?  What will...
Read More

Developing Talent Through Mundane Assignments

A recent Harvard Business Review blog post offered the idea of developing your talent by having them work on your most boring processes. The thinking behind this proposition is that these mundane processes never get much scrutiny because they are boring, and that there are significant efficiencies to be gained by improving them. While the ideas are intriguing and provocative, the author stops short of telling leaders how to make these assignments. After you read the original post, read the ideas below for implementing the proposition: Pay attention to change management. If the assignment is to work on a truly boring task, realize...
Read More