expectations – Nathan Magnuson

4 Critical Skills for Leading People

4 Critical Skills for Leading People – 4 min I’ve been wanting to share these four foundational people leadership skills for quite a while now. In over a decade of working with thousands of leaders, I estimate that 80% of all people leadership challenges come down to one of these…

The Cost of Unclear Expectations

November 5, 2018 Communication Leadership Personal Effectiveness

I’m told that one quote preachers try to live by is, “If it’s foggy in the pulpit, it’s cloudy in the pew.” In other words, as the leader and communicator, if you’re unclear about any part of your message, it’s a sure bet everyone else is as well. You don’t…

Get More Initiative From Your People

June 20, 2016 Organizational Effectiveness

“I don’t know that I’ve ever had someone come to me with that level of initiative. If they did, I think I’d be blown away.” I heard these words from an executive at a leadership event a couple weeks ago. His frustrations weren’t anything new. Why can’t employees take more…

Wanted: Optimists!

December 9, 2013 Character Expectations Influence Inspiration Leadership Personal Effectiveness

Is the glass half empty or half full? You’ve undoubtedly been asked this rhetorical question before. Apparently how you answer is supposed to quickly reveal whether you are an optimist or a pessimist – and perhaps a lot more about your inner worldview. I’m not sure what the “right” answer…

But What If I Can’t Delegate?

October 21, 2013 Communication Delegation Expectations Leadership Organizational Effectiveness Personal Effectiveness planning Strategic Thinking

“I don’t like to micro manage,” my friend lamented. “But even when I set clear expectations and deadlines, I find myself having to guide the entire process or else the ball gets dropped. Is that an employee issue or a leadership issue?” It’s hard enough to want to delegate in…

It Doesn’t Matter How Much You Care

September 16, 2013 Communication Expectations Influence Leadership Personal Effectiveness

When I first began studying leadership years ago, I’d find myself in conversations when someone would invariably share a leadership challenge with me. Sometimes, I’d even know how to solve it. I’d usually reference a book or an idea I had recently studied. Sometimes in my enthusiasm, I’d even go…