We've pulled together a few resources for you

Knowledge, like Aligned Momentum, is a continuous journey. This page provides articles and resources to help educate yourself and your team on multiple facets of business and leadership to improve, clarify, and achieve peak performance.

You can search through our resources by tags to tailor your research. Tags include our terms Performance Momentum, improved performance review using clarity, continuous communication, team alignment, and Aligned Momentum, having your entire team understand and agree on goals and taking meaningful steps towards real progress. More general tags are also included.

Gartner says 81% of HR Leaders are Changing their Organization's Performance Management System

Mary Baker

Gartner
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Next Best Steps
This Gartner study published in November 2019 found that less than one-fifth of HR leaders found performance management effective. Many companies are trying to change their performance management approach, but focus on reducing the documentation or number of steps involved. This actually results in even less effective performance management. Instead, Gartner suggests focusing on maximizing performance management utility by aligning it to your organization and team needs.
Performance Management Trends for 2022

Madeline Reinbolt
Performance Momentum, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication
No one appreciates being micromanaged. It can lead to frustration, from both parties. But employees need to feel like they can ask for help, and that they will receive it. How do you find this balance? This article, based on a study covering hundreds of companies, finds three ways to provide help but avoid micromanaging: not offering help preemptively, clarifying your role as a helper, and creating a rhythm of your involvement.
How One Company Worked to Root Out Bias from Performance Reviews

Joan C. Williams, Denise Lewin Loyd, Mikayla Boginsky, and Frances Armas-Edwards

Harvard Business Review
Alignment, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Pivot, Safe Place
It can be hard to recognize biases we have, and that applies to the way we create and evaluate performance reviews. This article outlines four common biases, and shows how implementing consistent metrics across reviews can reduce bias. It’s important to have structure to your reviews because general criteria without evidence or consistent requirements can lead to unfair, even if unintentional, discrimination.
How to Help (Without Micromanaging)

Colin M. Fisher, Teresa M. Amabile, and Julianna Pillemer

Harvard Business Review
Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Coaching, Safe Place
No one appreciates being micromanaged. It can lead to frustration, from both parties. But employees need to feel like they can ask for help, and that they will receive it. How do you find this balance? This article, based on a study covering hundreds of companies, finds three ways to provide help but avoid micromanaging: not offering help preemptively, clarifying your role as a helper, and creating a rhythm of your involvement.
Psychological Safety is Not a Hygiene Factor

Amy Edmondson

Psychology Today
Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Pivot, Safe Place
Considering psychological safety as a "hygiene factor"—that is, something simple like pay, benefits, and physical safety—reduces the impact of psychological safety to a basic expectation. Instead, this article suggests that psychological safety should be considered a high standard, something that will increase ambition, engagement, and create a workplace culture that has a competitive advantage over others.
10 Leadership Lessons I Have Learned from Conducting an Orchestra

Tania Miller

Medium
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Clarity, Coaching, Nimble, Strategy
A leader is not the sole creator, nor the sole driving force of a team. Like the conductor of an orchestra, a leader must trust their team, believe in their excellence, be aware of each individual's performance, and know when to let the team do their own thing. Sometimes, it is best to "lead and let go," once you have developed that trust and respect.
Research: Vague Feedback is Holding Women Back

Shelley J. Correll and Caroline Simard

Harvard Business Review
Performance Momentum, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Pivot, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Safe Place
Women are becoming more present as middle managers, but not as executives, even though programs to help women become leaders have become more prevalent. This study shows that the types of feedback women receive differs from men in significant ways: primarily because men are given specific feedback with focus on how to "get to the next level," whereas women are often given vague feedback not tied to business outcomes.
A Coaching Paradox

Seth Godin
Leadership, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Strategy
People expect to have coaches for many endeavors, like sports or music. But coaching in the business world has become a paradox. Many believe they don't need coaches because work is part of their "nature." Some business coaches make outlandish claims. Why do we accept coaching in most fields, but are unsure about coaching in business?
Performance Reviews Don't Have to be Ineffective (Part 1 of 4)

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Management, Employee, Communication, Coaching
Reviewing Performance is a necessary element of running a business, but many review methods are outdated. When Performance Reviews are part of Performance Momentum your managers can build and serve their team without the negative effects of traditional reviews.
What's Harming the Effectiveness of Performance Reviews? (Part 2 of 4)

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Coaching
Understanding the issues of outdated Performance Review methods will allow you to most effectively implement Performance Momentum.
In a Vibrant Business, Performance is Inspired and (Not Just) Reviewed (Part 3 of 4)

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Pivot, Coaching
Creating Clarity about Performance and Reviews brings every team member into Strategic Alignment. Providing context for everyone's place in your company's strategy through Performance Momentum will inspire, rather than discourage, your team.
Orchestrating a Pivot from Performance Management to Performance Momentum (Part 4 of 4)

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Safe Place, Strategy
Taking the time to assess your desired state, current state, and communicating effectively - collaboratively - what incremental steps need to be taken to reach the desired state, will create alignment and momentum throughout your team. Only in a state of Aligned Momentum are performance breakthroughs possible. Performance Reviews don't have to be a burden; they can generate Momentum.
Want to Get Clear? First, Create a Safe Place

Lori Michele Leavitt
Aligned Momentum, Leadership, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Pivot, Safe Place
Alignment requires communication, and communication requires having a safe place. If every team member feels safe to receive and provide feedback, they can be truly aligned.
5 Key Ideas for Best Next Steps toward Extraordinary Momentum

Lori Michele Leavitt
Leadership, Communication, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Nimble, Strategy
These 5 ideas will give you tangible goals to reaching Aligned Momentum in your organization.
Why Implementing an Agile Business Model is More Evolution than Revolution

David Roe

CMSWire
Aligned Momentum, Agility, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Communication, Clarity, Nimble, Strategy
Many businesses want to become agile, but not having alignment or trying to force large changes, rather than allowing for incremental changes for a successful Pivot, prevents being nimble or agile.
Employee Burnout, Part 1: The 5 Main Causes

Ben Wiger and Sangeeta Agrawal

Gallup
Performance Momentum, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Pivot, Safe Place, Strategy
Employee burnout can cause distress (which hinders alignment) and dysfunction (which stops momentum). Understanding some of the causes of employee burnout can help you resolve issues within your team.
Why Generating Business Momentum is More Important than Making Progress

Glenn Llopis

Entrepreneur
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Employee, Communication, Nimble
Understanding strategy and anticipating the unexpected are key steps to achieving momentum. Having everyone on your team on the same page with an aligned strategy is key to momentum. Progress is a singular. Momentum is continuous.
Is Anyone in Your Company Paying Attention to Strategic Alignment?

Jonathan Trevor

Harvard Business Review
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Strategy
While every team member should be aligned, who specifically provides that communication and clarity? Teams should think critically about which roles are driving alignment and how.
Tips for Delivering Feedback Effectively at Work

Dan McCarthy

thebalancecareers.com
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Safe Place
Many Employees desire more feedback from their leaders, but ineffective or critical feedback can have negative impacts on cohesion and performance. Here are tips for effectively delivering feedback.
The Real Future of Work

Gallup
Performance Momentum, Agility, Leadership, Workplace, Clarity, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Nimble, Strategy
While "agility" has become a desired feature for organizations, only 1 in 6 people polled from Gallup believed their companies were truly agile, in the 4 European countries polled. Agility requires sustainable success promoted by leaders, and a shift from performance management to performance development, which is a catalyzing part of performance momentum. Gallup defines 3 factors needed to achieve agility: speed and development, freedom to experiment, and communication and collaboration.
How to Help Every Manager be More Like a Natural Leader

Bailey Nelson

Gallup
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Safe Place
Employees may have difficulty receiving and integrating assessments from managers or leaders they do not respect, or do not feel respected by. Natural leaders create a safe place for meaningful communication, which leads to true change and alignment.
Why Most Performance Evaluations are Biased, and How to Fix Them

Lori Mackenzie, JoAnne Wehner, and Shelley J. Correll

Harvard Business Review
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Strategy
This article identifies common biases in performance evaluations and provides insight into how to avoid these biases to best support team-building decisions.
The 4 Best Ways to Coach Your Employees to Greatness

David Finkel

Inc
Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Safe Place
A good performance review should feel like coaching. This quick article provides 4 tips on how to coach employees.
The 4 Levels of Organizational Alignment

Andre Lavoie

Entrepreneur
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Coaching
Alignment isn't only between leaders and employees. Alignment must exist throughout the team.
Empower Others to Initiate Change. Leaders Orchestrate

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Communication, Coaching, Safe Place
The outdated model of leaders as the sole driver of ideas and actions in an organization has led to an increase in the number of employees who feel disengaged and undervalued. Empowering members of your team with the understanding of your vision, and even the opportunity to have a say in that vision, is the foundation of engagement, and a key to aligned momentum.
Are You Ready for Performance Breakthroughs? Track these 6 Key Indicators

Lori Michele Leavitt
Aligned Momentum, Agility, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Communication, Clarity, Pivot, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Nimble, Strategy
Many leaders desire peak execution and performance as soon as possible, but this first requires the establishment of alignment and momentum. These 6 key indicators will help track you and your team's alignment, as the building blocks to brilliant execution of strategy.
As a Leader You Can't Change a Person but you Can Change their Context

Lori Michele Leavitt
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Communication, Safe Place
Leaders need to create the context for members of their team to achieve greatness. This means creating a safe environment for people to speak up and grow.
How Performance Reviews Can Kill Your Culture

Farnam Street
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Employee, Workplace, Pivot, Safe Place
Performance reviews that rank team members against each other create toxic competition within an organization. These types of reviews do not give people the type of information they need to improve, are demotivating, and can even cause people to "game" the system by sabotaging their peers rather than excelling themselves. This article offers solutions on revising your approach on performance reviews.
The Do's and Don't's of Performance Reviews

BJ Gallagher

American Management Association
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Communication, Clarity, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Strategy
This article outlines 10 common mistakes in performance reviews, but also provides the alternative "do's" with an explanation of the mistake's, issues, and what the alternative provides as a solution to this issue.
Safe to Speak Up. Power to be Heard

Lori Michele Leavitt
Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Pivot, Safe Place, Strategy
Effective communication is critical for both leaders and their team. Sometimes, there are biases at play that make communication poorly received, such as one's role or gender. This article outlines some practical tips on improving communication.
Kill Performance Measurement and Ratings?

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Strategy
Current news frames performance management as "bad," but rather than offering ways to fix this necessary system, they suggest destroying performance reviews altogether. Rather than abandoning your flawed reviews, here are 5 "do's" and "don't"s to change your performance management to performance momentum.
Leaders, here are 3 Ways to Grow, and Inspire Others to Keep Growing

Lori Michele Leavitt
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Communication, Coaching, Safe Place, Strategy
Alignment requires the desire and safety to be curious in the workplace. As a leader, you should inspire others to be curious through your own Master Mindset: a readiness for brilliant execution strategy. The 3 main factors of a Mastery Mindset are outlined here for leaders to get their team inspired and aligned.
More Harm than Good: The Truth about Performance Reviews

Robert Sutton and Ben Wigert

Gallup
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication
Performance reviews communicate what is and is not important for employees to do - for better or worse. What is the content and context of your performance reviews communicating to your team? Whatever method you choose to revise your own performance evaluations, consistent and clear communication of strategy is central to effective and beneficial reviews.
More Employers Ditch Performance Appraisals

Allen Smith

Society for Human Resource Management
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Pivot
Nearly 95% of managers and 90% of HR professionals polled in 2015 thought performance appraisals were inaccurate. The need to revise the system of annual rankings and appraisals is clear. While some objective ratings can still be used, they should be reframed to be goal-oriented, and should be visited more frequently than once a year. Documentation of these more frequent appraisals is still necessary, which can be done with Aligned Momentum.
How Millennials Forced GE to Scrap Performance Reviews

Max Nisen

The Atlantic
Performance Momentum, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Nimble, Strategy
John Welsh, a former CEO of GE, created the method of "forced ranking" in an annual review that is still sometimes used today. This puts people into 3 performance buckets: A, superstars, B, average, and C, underperformers. While this system allowed for seemingly objective reviews and rewards, it created many problems as time went on. It forced toxic competition, and as goals became shorter term, the annual review "ranking" became irrelevant, as it was too focused on the past. Now, GE, the creator of these forced rankings, has acknowledged that system is no longer working and implemented a system like performance momentum, rolled out in 2016.
The Performance Management Revolution

Peter Cappelli and Anna Tavis

Harvard Business Review
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Workplace, Nimble, Strategy
The method of performance management has shifted multiple times, as outlined by the timeline in this article dating back to World War 1. There are two methods focus on either Accountability or Development based on the current needs of the culture. Accountability suggests people are static, and to reward the strong and eliminate the weak. Development, which current culture is shifting towards once again, believes people are malleable and can achieve with motivation. While many are shifting to Development, which entails frequent conversations and future focus, there are some concerns: how can we align individual and company goals? How can we document these conversations? Both of these concerns can be resolved with Aligned Momentum.
Why Employee Performance Appraisal Does Not Work

Susan M. Heathfield

thebalancecareers.com
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Safe Place
Traditional annual reviews tend to be top-down, requiring the manager to remember an entire year's worth of performance, understand it, and determine that team member's appraisal. Many managers feel this is a burden. Since appraisals are often tied to raises, managers can be hesitant to give negative feedback, or even delay delivering the appraisal, which can cause resentment. Switching to something like 360 degree feedback - from customers, peers, employees, and managers - can make reviews more meaningful and also less stressful for everyone.
Performance Management Transformation: Changing Mindsets vs. Changing Processes

Steven Hunt

HR Technologist
Performance Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Strategy
Performance momentum (as a shift from performance management) focuses on building people and their performance. Performance management too often focuses on compliance, reducing risk, and can overemphasize management of tasks to the detriment of human potential. When a process has been in place for so long, mindsets can become fixed and unable to see what might be a better approach. Mindsets about reviewing performance need to change for leaders, managers, and employees in order to achieve performance momentum. This article will help nudge a mindset shift.
Performance Reviews are Pointless and Insulting -- So Why do they Still Exist?

Liz Ryan

Forbes
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Agility, Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Nimble, Strategy
The annual performance review comes from a time when many jobs could be reviewed objectively, as this article points out; if employees stand in front of a conveyer belt all day polishing widgets, you can easily count the widgets as they come down the line and see which employees are hitting their goals and which folks are missing them. But current times focus on knowledge work, which cannot be quantified or understood properly from these outdated reviews. This doesn't mean reviewing performance doesn't work; what isn't working is the industrial age method of measuring and reviewing work and the people doing that work. When future goals have shifted from things like "polish 10 more widgets a day," reviews must change to reflect these new goals.
Putting Humanity into HR Compliance: Creating a Coaching Culture - Doing vs. Understanding

Jathan Janove, J.D.

Society for Human Resource Management
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Workplace, Communication, Pivot, Coaching, Safe Place
While many leaders and managers want to be seen as approachable and resourceful, they often have blind spots to their own shortcomings. Facilitating anonymous and safe evaluations and feedback can give leaders the information they need to revise and improve themselves, so that they can effectively coach, teach, and communicate with their teams.
Here's How the World's Model for Leadership Needs to Change

Shane Snow

The Snow Report
Agility, Leadership, Clarity, Pivot, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Nimble
"What makes a good leader" is a complicated question. Snow compares what makes a good leader to what makes good materials for tall buildings: in the past, brick was better than wood. Then concrete was better than brick. Now steel is better than concrete. Like buildings, what makes a good leader needs to adapt. In current times, we are moving from "the one who is always right" to "the master of unlocking the potential of others."
The Management Formula Every Leader Should Know

Shane Snow

Fast Company
Leadership, Management, Clarity, Coaching, Strategy
A manager can’t be making every person on their team’s decisions for them. How do we get our teams to rise to the occasion? It’s not by pushing them there, it’s by allowing them to find their way there. This approach is called “eyes on, hands off,” where you give your team all the information, stay involved, but don’t try to do everything yourself.
Giving Effective Feedback When You're Short on Time

Daisy Wademan Dowling

Harvard Business Review
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Management, Workplace, Communication, Coaching, Safe Place, Strategy
If you've ever felt that you don't have time to give feedback to your team, maybe the issue is a lack of structure when giving that feedback. This article outlines some helpful ways to reduce time spent giving feedback or revisiting past meetings, by having a standard "opening" line for initiating feedback, being blunt, and having the person you're speaking to repeat what they've heard from you to confirm they understand your message and intent.
Podcast: Goal Clarity

Dr. Jeff Spencer
Alignment, Leadership, Clarity, Coaching, Next Best Steps, Strategy
Jeff Spencer is the USA's first speed cycling Olympic Medalist. In this podcast, he outlines what it takes to reach your goals: Clarity. Jeff outlines how you can determine what is really a goal versus a wish or a dream, and how you can accurately and effectively outline, measure progress to, and achieve that goal.
How TELUS Redefined Its Own Workplace

Nicole Hylmar

TELUS
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Pivot, Safe Place
Creating a culture of engagement and alignment in your workplace is difficult, but it's the best way to achieve results: both for your customers and your employees. TELUS went from 53% engagement to 85% engagement from employees and is now rated one of the best places to work in Canada. This article outlines the changes TELUS implemented to achieve this status, which includes valuing objectives and goals rather than hours worked - something A.M. can bring to your workplace.
A Lesson in Leading

John Izzo, Ph.D.
Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Safe Place, Strategy
When considering ways to improve one's business, many tend to focus on their products and services. How can we improve our product? How can we lower costs? These questions are not enough; they only face outwards and can be easily copied by competitors. Focusing inwards, on developing a work culture of employee engagement, innovation, and satisfaction, can improve your company from the inside out.
Avoiding the "Hubris" Pitfall

Carter Cast

Chief Executive
Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Safe Place, Strategy
Sometimes being proficient at your position is not enough for success or alignment in your organization. You need to have self-awareness. If you are aware of your own weaknesses, you can work on them. But what happens when you have a blind spot? Tools like A.M. can help you identify personal or organizational blind spots, so you can have a complete picture of your strengths and weaknesses.
TELUS CEO Darren Entwistle Proves Stakeholder Capitalism is Possible Even During a Pandemic

Dan Pontefract

Forbes
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Leadership, Management, Workplace, Communication, Safe Place, Nimble
TELUS is considered one of the best places to work in the world, is a leader in stakeholder capitalism, and has been recognized as the leading corporate citizen for its response to the recent pandemic, committing $150 million to support Canadians through the crisis. This article explores the intersection of all these achievements, and reinforces the need for internal alignment, excellent leadership, and employee engagement for building and sustaining the most effective and admirable organizations.
TELUS Reveals Its Secret to Success

Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan

Association for Talent Development
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Workplace, Communication, coaching, Safe Place, Strategy
Tony Bingham and Pat Galagan interview Darren Entwistle, president and CEO of TELUS, about the secrets of success at TELUS under his leadership. Entwistle says the root to this success is in the work culture at TELUS, including developing employee engagement and leadership that encourages that engagement, rewarding "how" someone has led or taken on a challenge even if their tangible goals weren't met, and adapting to the changing needs of our society, including integrating social media use and allowing, even encouraging, working from home. TELUS leadership was orchestrating change, and tightening alignment and momentum, so when the pandemic hit - although unexpected - they were nimble and made quick adjustments without major upheaval.
Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Preparing Your Organization for a Transformed World

Bill Pasmore, Cindy McCauley, Alice Cahill, Mike Smith, Chuck Ainsworth, and Chuck Palus

Center for Creative Leadership
Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Safe Place, Nimble
There are multiple negative effects and obstacles that the recent pandemic has presented. But these negative elements can persist into the aftermath of this crisis. How can you and your organization prepare for both the present and future effects? This paper dives into how you can shift your organization's focus to necessary change and lasting improvements. This requires from leaders what they term "DAC," Direction, Alignment, and Commitment. In a time when we cannot simply "return to normal," we must strategize for a better future.
Re-opening Playbook: Five Steps to Re-engage Customers and Employees

Denise Yohn
Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Workplace, Pivot, Next Best Steps, Nimble, Strategy
Almost everyone has been impacted by the recent pandemic, to some extent. But it is important to acknowledge that those impacts vary widely by group. This article discusses how you can make sure that your organization understands the impact on your employees and your customers, so that you can be mindful and appropriate to all parties as organizations re-open. In doing so, you can hopefully help alleviate some anxiety, and promote excitement.
How Covid-19 Should Impact Performance Reviews

Stephanie Vozza

Fast Company
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Leadership, Communication, Pivot, Coaching, Nimble
Many companies use informal interactions or annual reviews to cover all their bases in terms of analyzing past performance and future goals. In this time of crisis, in person meetings are often not possible. But communication - remotely - now more than ever is critical. With the A.M. Software and Program your organization has the tools to lead and manage - from anywhere. Including giving performance reviews, gathering input via assessments, and create individual and organizational priorities. Now more than ever, feeling heard and valued at one's organization is imperative.
Performance Rather than Togetherness

Vern Burkhardt

Idea Connection
Performance Momentum, Employee, Workplace, Communication, Coaching, Strategy
Many people have had the experience of awkward or ineffective "team-building" activities that are intended to promote bonding between team members. Jon Katzenbach would argue that a team is not about bonding; that can be a side effect, but a team is about driving performance. A team is intended to align people with the best sets of skill to work together and maximize their complimentary inputs and achieve a goal. This interview goes over what Katzenbach defines as a "real team," what they look like, why they are important, and when they are needed.
Improving Workplace Performance: Frederick Herzberg - Motivation Theory

BusinessBalls
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Next Best Steps
This study by Frederick Herzberg outlines the difference between "maintenance" and "motivation" needs. Maintenance needs are like basic needs; they are the needs that must be met to not be dissatisfied. But to find motivation, a different set of needs must be met, things like achievement, recognition, and advancement. Almost all the motivational needs are future-looking.
Motivating Employees through Goal Setting

University of Minnesota
Performance Momentum, Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Next Best Steps
Looking towards the future is just as important as understanding the past when it comes to motivation and improvement. Setting goals has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to motivate people. But it is not enough to simply create goals. These goals need to be "SMART," which means they are Specific, Measurable, Aggressive, Realistic, and Time-bound. Once goals are set, leaders need to give feedback, ensure all people involved have the ability to achieve, and confirm that everyone involved is committed to that goal.
TED Talk: The Secret to Giving Great Feedback

LeeAnn Renninger

TED
Leadership, Management, Employee, Communication, Clarity, Coaching, Safe Place
Feedback is necessary, but many people treat it as a necessary evil because it can be tricky to deliver effectively. When giving feedback, many people fall into one of two camps: being too vague and soft, or being too direct and eliciting defensiveness. Like any trade, giving feedback requires tools. In this talk, LeeAnn Renninger outlines a four-part formula for giving feedback effectively.
You Need a Leadership Strategy Now

William Pasmore

Center for Creative Leadership
Aligned Momentum, Alignment, Leadership, Management, Clarity, Pivot, Coaching, Strategy
Developing a leadership strategy is important but often missed. If execution of (business) strategy is not going well, it could be due to leadership rather than the rest of the organization -- you may not have a clear vision of what drives your business, who your leaders are, and how they are leading. Effective leaders must be held accountable and be consistent. While this article was written in response to the recession of 2008, its message holds true in our current crisis, and future obstacles to come: you need a solid leadership strategy, not just a business or organizational strategy.