“Don’t focus on about being successful. Focus on being useful.”
- Peter Drucker’s advice to Jim Collins (author of “Good to Great”) on “Success.”
Self-Efficacy 101
Two key aspects of performance are ability and execution. We’ve all seen people fail at a task or job where we were sure they can succeed. As leaders, we may try coaching or affirmations like pep talks to get them back on track.
But Dr. Katy Milkman at the Wharton School shares research that leaders can create more confidence not by what they tell their employees, but by what they ask them. Check out her short and provocative article that explores Self Efficacy and her finding that if you “Want to build someone’s confidence? Ask for THEIR advice.”
Knowing the Knowledge Worker
In a recent webinar he prepared just for Vistage members, Jim Collins (“Good to Great”) remarked that “There is no new normal.” We won’t be going back to how things were before. This is especially true when it comes to ‘knowledge workers” (non-front line employees who can perform much of their job remotely).
A survey of HR directors and knowledge workers summarized in HBR identified “three defining priorities” that staff and managerial talent are increasingly demanding and getting in the war for talent. Find out “What Your Future Employees Want Most.”
How to Get WFH Right
Many Vistage groups have been discussing how to manage the return to work (RTW) after 16 months of work from home (WFH).
A short article from HBR offers some compelling questions and suggests that “a process-based approach does maximize the likelihood that you’ll find the best balance between the needs of your customers, your employees, and your organization” and that what many executives think is one discussion is actually “three different discussions” on productivity, staffing and culture that are required to Figure Out the Right Hybrid Work Strategy for Your Company.
Also, be sure to check out the newest Vistage webinar available to members and non-members alike: Talent Wars 2.0: How to Hybrid Your Workforce.
Econ Recon
An area of remarkable activity is the residential housing market. Houses are being purchased quickly after being listed for well over asking price and sometimes even without inspections. This activity has caused some to worry about another bubble like 2008. Jackie Greene of ITR Economics suggests there for at least four reasons this is not another bubble. Check out her blog post Is This a Bubble? If so, when does it pop?
