CATEGORY: Leadership When Robert Duvall died this week, most tributes focused on the obvious markers of greatness, the range and sheer longevity of his career: The Godfather. Apocalypse Now. Tender Mercies. Lonesome Dove. His was a career that shaped film for more than sixty years. But what stayed with me, more than any single role, […]
What Robert Duvall Taught Me About Leadership Read More »
In executive environments, composure is often mistaken for clarity. Many senior leaders are highly skilled at emotional intelligence. They regulate their tone, read the room, and manage perception with ease. They stay calm under pressure and keep meetings moving forward. On the surface, this looks like strong leadership. And yet, many of these same leaders
When Emotional Intelligence Becomes Performance Management Read More »
People put up with a lot of quirks in their leaders and coworkers just to reduce the drama and keep the peace. But lack of sincerity grates on the nerves. It’s like trying to satisfy hunger with cotton candy. Two good questions to ask yourself periodically: What communication sound insincere? How can I become more
6 Ways Leaders Communicate Authentically to Inspire Others Read More »
Leaders like to think they know when and how to be direct. They should. Direct communication is good. Damaging communication, on the other hand, can destroy a relationship, partnership, sale, or reputation forever. Why does one listener consider a comment “over-the-top” disrespectful, while another listener interprets the same remark as just “firm,” straightforward, even prudent?
Is Your Communication Direct—Or Downright Damaging? Read More »
I am professional speaker and after my speeches, people often share stories about their leaders: both the good and the bad. At a recent keynote, I was surprised at the number of positive stories people were telling me about thier CEO. They built a picture of a leader who had led an amazing turnaround in culture and performance.
A CEO’s Amazing Transformation Story Read More »
Few people admit to poor communication habits—much less habits that can cost them a promotion, a job, or a deal. Yet we’ve all seen the following bad habits in colleagues from time to time—and for some, they occur on a daily basis. Guard against letting these creep into your own interactions with staff, peers, or
10 Leadership Communication Habits That Ruin Relationships Read More »
Jason, an executive client, shared his new year’s goal with me: “I want to become a more inspiring speaker so that my employees really catch the vision for this upcoming year and get engaged.” Sounds worthwhile. Here’s the backstory: According to his CEO, Jason, who’d stepped in as plant manager three years earlier, was not
4 Myths About How Executives Become Engaging Speakers Read More »
At some point in your career, you’re going to find yourself leading a team, department, division, or organization where you’re working with an employee who irritates you. Sometimes you know why. Often you don’t. When analyzing that negative gut reaction to yourself, you may label that person “slick,” “arrogant,” “self-righteous,” “lazy,” “pretentious,” “sniveling,” “aggressive,” “presumptuous,”
4 Ways to Lead People You Don’t Like Read More »
Kyle Nel, Nathan Furr and Thomas Zoega Ramsoy, Authors, Leading Transformation: How to Take Charge of Your Company’s Future Guiding an organization through transformation is one of the hardest things that leaders are called on to do. Among many variables, transformation requires both seeing new business opportunities, and then taking meaningful steps to capture them. But
How Uncommon Partners May Be the Secret to Breakthrough Innovation Read More »
Chris Lewis, Co-author, The Leadership Lab: Understanding Leadership In The 21st Century There are some things every CEO is certain about. That’s what we get paid for. For instance, we’re certain that customers are more demanding now than they’ve ever been before. We’re certain that there are more things that can affect our business than ever before. We know
Certainty is no longer enough Read More »
