Tallmadge & Hill Blog
ALLOCATING YOUR ATTENTION
I just find myself with too much time on my hands throughout the day!” Is it safe to assume that this statement has rarely, if ever, been muttered by leaders and managers in today’s professional environment? In fact, “being busy” is often worn as a prideful badge of honor. It is a popular statement in part because it is an admirable one. Having free time, on the other hand, makes you look dispensable and irrelevant. In a time when we are accessible every moment of every [...]
IS THE GOLDEN RULE SELFISH?
Since childhood, we have all been raised by the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Many would cite this ethical code as one of their aspirations by which to live, both personally and professionally. The problem with the Golden Rule? It implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you would like to be treated. As a leader, consider instead operating by the Platinum Rule: "Treat others the way they want [...]
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF GOOD DECISION
As human beings, we are naturally programmed with an existing set of emotions, habits, perspectives, and opinions. We are sometimes drawn to making decisions for reasons we do not fully understand; we might hire a new employee because it feels right, or we promote those on our team because they deserve it. Decision-making lies at the very core of our personal and professional lives. Understanding the psychology of good decisions on an individual level can make a tremendous impact on an organization as a whole. Psychologists [...]
QUIET QUITTING: SEPARATING THE SYMPTOM FROM THE CAUSE
Quiet quitting. What began as a viral video has become one of the most talked about (and written about) topics this year. Is it a valid phenomenon, or is it nothing more than catchy clickbait? To a certain degree, the answer to that question does not matter. Rather than debating the significance of the symptoms, this is an opportunity for leaders to proactively address the more important matter: the cause. While many organizations excel in the areas of employee engagement and retention, the tenor in the [...]
ENTREPRENEUR OR WANTREPRENEUR?
Being an entrepreneur, or having entrepreneurial abilities, is an admired trait in our society. If you asked a candidate in an interview if they view themselves as entrepreneurs, the socially acceptable answer is a resounding “absolutely”. If you asked individuals on your current team or in your department if they felt they had an entrepreneurial spirit, the answer would likely be affirmative. However, these types of questions often garner answers associated not with the true self, but with the idealized self. The idealized self [...]
DELIBERATELY DESIGNING YOUR CORPORATE CULTURE
Over a career spanning nearly half a century, Harvard University psychology professor J. Richard Hackman garnered widespread esteem and accolades for pioneering the study of team dynamics. Hackman led a team designed to evaluate what makes intelligence units effective by surveying, interviewing, and observing hundreds of analysts across 64 different intelligence groups. What they discovered was that the critical factor wasn’t having a tenured team with the right number of people. It wasn’t having a vision that is clear, challenging, and meaningful. Nor was it well-defined [...]
