What really motivates your team? Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory offers a timeless framework to help leaders understand the difference between what satisfies employees—and what simply keeps them from quitting. In our latest blog, we explore how supervisors can move beyond managing hygiene factors (like pay and working conditions) to actively fostering motivators like recognition, growth, and meaningful work. Plus, we share practical tools you can use in one-on-ones to build engagement and boost satisfaction.
We’re bringing back one of our favorite posts on its 10th anniversary—a timeless reminder that leadership often looks like hard work no one else understands. Inspired by a man chopping firewood in the Alabama heat, this story challenges us to embrace “fanatic discipline”—a principle from Great by Choice by Jim Collins. If you’re striving to lead with intention, even when results feel far off, this one’s for you. Read on for four practical ways to build consistency, focus on effort, and set yourself up for long-term success.
Our family loves March Madness — brackets, buzzer beaters, and a little friendly trash talk. But beyond the fun, this year’s tournament revealed something bigger: talent is global. The game is changing, and it’s not just because of NIL. Players — and professionals — are competing on a worldwide stage, and the smartest teams are thinking beyond borders. Want to build a championship-worthy team at work? Start by widening your recruiting lens. Discover the key lessons from March Madness that can transform how you build your team.
Context matters. When conflict erupts at work, it’s easy to focus on the outburst, not the circumstances that led to it. Take my friend’s brother—suspended without pay for lashing out after being undermined. What his boss didn’t consider? He had just lost his mother and had a child in the hospital.
As leaders, we must create space for employees to navigate stress, not just react to their missteps. Using an empowerment-based model like SBAR—situation, background, analysis, recommendations—can help de-escalate conflict and build stronger teams. How do you handle workplace conflict?
The terms manager and leader often get used interchangeably, but should they? “Leading versus managing” is a common search phrase. At HPC, we don’t really think it’s a “versus” situation. You can be a good manager without being a great leader, but you can’t be a great leader without strong management skills. So, what’s distinct about them, and why does it matter? Let’s break it down. You Manage Time and Tasks Management primarily involves managing things that largely impact people, but it does not seek to influence people like leadership does. It’s hard to lead others well if you can