Leaders think strategically, understand the critical link between focus and clarity, and appreciate the value of time. So fewer and fewer are inclined to let others waste their time. Brevity has become a basic communication skill for professionals. Here are six best practices as a leader: Be brief when speaking off-the-cuff. Lectures are for the […]
Leader, Be Brief or Be Dismissed Read More »
Both the CFO and the CEO stuck their hand into the air as I concluded my keynote and called for questions. “Why don’t employees communicate up in an organization?” There was a little more than a twinge of frustration in the CEO’s question. The CFO added his nod of dismay. It’s a common conundrum in
5 Reasons Employees Don’t Communicate Upward in Your Organization Read More »
Did you ever play a game as a child when you made up the rules as you went along? I’m guessing that those evolving rules often proved to be a source of contention! Leaders at work find the same to be true. When managers decide to disregard their moral compass as the official business handbook,
Leaders: Legal, Ethical, Right? Read More »
Gain a reputation for always being the one with new ideas and solutions to problems and you’ll quickly set yourself apart from the pact. That distinction requires brainpower. But trying to think on your feet under pressure before an audience or offering answers off the cuff in a meeting doesn’t always represent your best thinking.
How to Improve Your Thinking Read More »
Managers hear questions every day. Some serious; some trivial. “Are the merger rumors true?” “How much is our budget being cut?” “Can we extend our deadline a couple of days?” “Is our team going to have to work over the weekend?” But the ONE question that you have to answer correctly every single time is
ONE Question Managers Must ALWAYS Answer Correctly Read More »
Have you ever met a manager who intended to motivate staff but instead demoralized them? Most have no idea of their negative effect. And that’s definitely not their intention. In talking with such managers or those who report to them, what surfaces are habits, attitudes, practices, and skill deficiencies that lead employees to disrespect, disengage, and decide
Managers Who Motivate, Not Demoralize Read More »
The first day I sauntered into Miss Amos’s English class, I was scared. Not because of the subject or because this was my first day in a big city school—I was startled by her face. My first thought: Did some terrible disease do this to her? I slid into my seat and peaked up to
How Often Do You Laugh as the Leader at Work? Read More »
“He’s fast on his feet” or “She has a clear head on her shoulders.” “He’s definitely a thought-leader in the industry.” These current kudos pique a leader’s attention. After all, leaders look to hire, promote, and listen to those who think clearly and communicate well. But what if you’re naturally quiet and slow to speak
10 Tell-Tale Signs That Reveal How Leaders Think Read More »
Ever find yourself on a team or in an organization that’s struggling because of a leader’s poor decision? Citizens clamor about such crippling effects by their politicians routinely. You sit back and reflect on the leader personally and wonder why a savvy, experienced, and ordinarily capable person could make such a stupid decision or policy—one
Why Smart Managers Make Stupid Decisions Read More »
Many people today talk about leadership who’ve never led anything more complex than a high school marching band. They offer this or that principle as if proven under fire when, in fact, their experience has been limited to launching missiles in a game of Battleship. But that’s not to say that you can’t learn from
Leaders Who Fail: Lessons You Can Learn From Them Read More »
