Tracy Lawrence

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Here's why humility and active listening skills are key to effective leadership. Behind every great leader is a great team. The continued success of that team and its ability to thrive, however,  also depends on the manager's ability and willingness to hear their employees out about the challenges they may be facing in the trenches or new ideas they want to bring to the table.  Developing an ego or coming across, more often than not, as a "know-it-all" in one-on-ones or team meetings may be a tell-tale sign that you have a superiority complex, which can ultimately lead your team to failure. The good news is that once you're able to identify your own behavior patterns and recognize you're not the only voice in the room, you'll be able to nip it in the bud quickly and effectively—once and for all. Here, 13 experts from Fast Company Executive Board share how and why it's so important for leaders to avoid a superiority complex no matter where they work. 

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Now is the time to: reflect and pivot boldly toward your continued career growth and success. It's natural to be anxious or overwhelmed about a recent setback that you or your company may be experiencing in today's fluctuating economy. However, once you assess where things went wrong, you must dust yourself off, and make any necessary improvements (from lessons learned) that will help you stay on track, and set you up to be ready for the brighter days ahead.   At some point in their career, everyone faces some type of hardship—whether it's overcoming a job loss or not making the deal stick with a highly regarded potential client. In times like these, it's even more important to stay connected with trusted mentors and colleagues as you reflect on ways to improve your brand (personal and professional). We asked 20 Fast Company Executive Board members to each share their tips to encourage business professionals not to panic or give up on their short- and long-term goals no matter what marketplace analysts are reporting.

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There's an upside to a downsize. Here's how company leaders can make a difference and maintain their staff's trust. In the past few years, many companies are still facing economic challenges in a fluctuating market, which also makes it difficult when leaders are forced to have tough conversations with their dedicated team about potential or necessary cutbacks. Demonstrating transparency and open communication is one of the most important steps to keep your stakeholders well-informed along the way. If you work together with your team to engage in ideas for alternative solutions, you will set your organization up for success and strengthen your potential to come out on top in the long term. Below, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members share their best practices to help leaders prepare their teams for cutbacks in the business world.

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First-time CEOs have a unique challenge in transitioning into a role that only a small number of others have ever held.

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Is your establishment still on the right path to achieve its original objectives? As the business starts to pick up its momentum in the marketplace through brand recognition and new partnerships, it's sometimes easy for founders or leadership teams to get sidetracked away from their original goals and why the company was launched in the first place. While it's important for entrepreneurs and business owners to task on certain risks and close in on the right deals, it's also crucial to maintain your core values and business integrity in the process as the company grows. Below, a panel of experts from Fast Company Executive Board shares 13 ways for business owners and executives to ensure that their current and future business practices still align with their organization's original mission and vision.