The idea of having “company values” is nothing new. In fact, these days, it’s downright rare to come across an organization without them, even if the organization is very small. But the near-ubiquitousness of company values seems to be equally matched with the unsureness leaders have around how to actually make them useful in practice. … Read More
Culture is complex. By its very definition, “culture” is almost unreasonably complicated — read just a few lines in a dictionary, and you’ll quickly trip over phrases like “manifestations of human achievement regarded collectively.” Oof. Complex. The intricate nature of “culture” itself is actually one of its largest challenges, as its complexity makes it difficult … Read More
It was a morning like most weekday mornings, which is to say everyone in my family was running around trying to get ready to leave the house. And as you may know, some mornings are better than others when it comes to little kids listening versus dawdling — this particular morning was kiddo procrastination in … Read More
Doing “purpose work” in organizations seems to be all the rage right now. And, again, for the most part, this is a great thing. But something has been bothering me about this, so today I’d like to show you exactly how “purpose work” can fail your organization. There are two primary ways this happens: It … Read More
“I just love being micromanaged.” … Have you met a lot of people who would say this? Have you even met one? I’ve been studying leadership and human behavior for the last 20 years, and I struggle to think of a single person I’ve met — ever — who would say they enjoy being micromanaged. Humans, by nature, … Read More
Nikola Tesla reportedly said, “If you wish to understand the secrets of the universe, think of energy, frequency, and vibration.” The more we lean in to an energy-based approach to work at Helios, the more we believe this to be profoundly true. “Energy” is an interesting topic, mostly because it’s not something we talk about … Read More
Almost all approaches to “performance management” are pointless. Why? In a nutshell, they make a fatally flawed assumption about people, which is the belief that we can change our innate wiring. This is another way of saying if I’m not “performing” there’s something wrong with me. I’m inherently lacking… something — knowledge, skills, effort, tenacity, … Read More
The corporate way is to hide, pretty much everything. Managers hide their reasons “why” simply because they can. HR hides behind “precedent” and hundreds (or thousands) of made-up rules and “policies.” Executives hide themselves physically in sequestered offices and behind thick mahogany doors. And companies especially feel the need to hide financials because it gives … Read More
Purpose has become a popular topic over the last decade or so. And for the most part, this is excellent — it’s great to have purpose-driven organizations and it’s a wonderful thing for individuals to think about their purpose and focus their work in that direction. But how does an energy-based approach to life and … Read More