#HR #RRHH Making love and making personal #branding #leadership

It’s no surprise that Google, now part of Alphabet, loves data, and the company’s execs frequently share the revelations they find, such as their insights on mobile web use. But some of us would be surprised to discover that this unicorn company often turns its eye inward, analyzing information about its people to help improve its operations.

A group of employees from Google’s People Operations section, the equivalent of an HR department, decided to complete an analysis to answer one question: What makes a Google team effective?

Here’s a look at their approach and the startling revelations they had along the way.

We all want to learn and grow. Improving our skills and being exposed to new ideas not only makes us better at our jobs but makes us happier and more engaged at work. But with a full-time job, it can be tough to find the time and resources to dedicate to personal development. Some people, like me, are lucky to work for companies that encourage and even fund classes, sabbaticals, or fellowships. But if you work for a company that doesn’t have an official policy, how can you make the case to your manager (and the necessary higher ups) to support you?'

Identify how you want to learn and grow. If you don’t yet have a clear picture of what you want to develop, spend time honing in on exactly what you need. Do you want to build your emotional intelligence skills to be a more attuned business leader? Are you interested in going on a yoga or meditation retreat? Set aside a specific period of time, such as one evening or even a week, to explore ideas and research what appeals to you. Write down what you want to learn and how you would grow from the experience you’ve identified. Research shows that the physical act of writing has a neurological effect on the brain which tells the cerebral cortex to “wake up and pay attention.” Writing stimulates a bunch of cells in the brain called the Reticular Activating System that plays a key role in being more conscious and alert. The more you can write down, the more aware and real your ideas become. 

One of the most difficult transitions for leaders to make is the shift from doing to leading. As a new manager you can get away with holding on to work. Peers and bosses may even admire your willingness to keep “rolling up your sleeves” to execute tactical assignments. But as your responsibilities become more complex, the difference between an effective leader and a super-sized individual contributor with a leader’s title is painfully evident.

In the short term you may have the stamina to get up earlier, stay later, and out-work the demands you face. But the inverse equation of shrinking resources and increasing demands will eventually catch up to you, and at that point how you involve others sets the ceiling of your leadership impact. The upper limit of what’s possible will increase only with each collaborator you empower to contribute their best work to your shared priorities. Likewise, your power decreases with every initiative you unnecessarily hold on to.

Use these tips when you're ready to give up.

Ask people "Do you have above average driving skills?" and 90 per cent will say yes. "Sense of humour?" You guessed it, 90 per cent.

Steer clear of these four disabling behaviors to effectively manage your team, no matter where you are in the world.

What appears to be the path forward leads only to headaches, and your team is depending on you to make the right call-15 leaders share big decisions.

Stop being so responsive. Instead, protect your time and energy for the things that matter most.

As a leader, your communication skills have the potential to leave a lasting impact on others--make sure that impact is a positive one.

Test your leadership skills with this quick quiz, and get a list of leadership skills you need to develop to become a really good leader.

Ineffective listening can lead to damaged relationships, inefficient use of time and energy, and silos between key people in an organization. Here's how to improve your listening skills - fast!

A new study suggests misplaced fears hold too many introverts back from striving for the top.

Newcomers often see opportunities veterans miss. However, knowing how to leverage those opportunities is the key.

Help others while helping your career.

Game of Thrones has some applicable management lessons, even if you don't have the power of life or death.

You don't want to be the next United Airlines; instead, take steps to empower employees to behave better by modeling true leadership for them.

A business’ success is strongly dependant on its team. A weak, unmotivated team can slow the business down and prevent it from reaching its full potential. On the other hand, a unified motivated te…

There is renewed pressure on the importance of creative thinking and collaboration in the workplace.

Angie Morgan is a Marine veteran and the coauthor, along with Courtney Lynch and Sean Lynch, of "Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success.

How do you view employees? We rarely talk about this in public forums or meetings, but we have no problem giving people our opinion in the hallway!! We wanted to stem the tide of side conversations at the March HR Roundtable (of Cincinnati) and took on the topic “Employee relations, and how to