Growing Business with Better Relationships Ultimately, every business is dependent upon relationships. Relationships with Customers. Relationships with Suppliers. Relationships with Employees and Co-Workers. The organizations that manage these relationships better, are the ones that grow and prosper even in changing and challenging times. It simply makes good business sense to build a team of people who are good at building … Read More
The Creative Power of Questions
The Creative Power of Questions Asking creative questions can change everything. A big, beautiful question can generate ideas, inspire action, influence engagement and participation, as well as solve problems and spark creative genius. Provocative questions can answer most conundrums of life and work. Einstein allegedly said that if someone gave him one hour to solve a problem, he would spend … Read More
The Tricky Art of the Apology
The Tricky Art of the Apology Who hasn’t said something in the heat of the moment that they regret? Everyone makes mistakes. We make insensitive statements, we speak before we think, and we let our emotions get the best of us. No workplace is perfect. Managers berate subordinates in meetings. Colleagues make snide remarks about each other. Even worse, people … Read More
Digital Distractions: The War for Your Attention
Digital Distractions: The War for Your Attention Are you letting digital devices overwhelm you and eat away at your ability to focus and concentrate? Is technology really saving you time and energy – like it’s supposed to do – or is it running rampant, creating unnecessary work? Most of us are bombarded by messages, texts, alerts, and buzzed throughout the … Read More
Make Behavioral Changes Last
Make Behavioral Changes Last What’s the most significant change in behavior you’ve made as an adult? For some, it’s quitting smoking or drinking, or making healthy changes in eating and exercising. For others, it’s becoming a better listener, a more effective manager, or a nicer partner or spouse. No matter what changes you’ve made, whether physical, social, or work-related, almost … Read More
Strengths-Based Leadership
Strengths-Based Leadership If you want to improve employee engagement and productivity while reducing turnover, your organization must build on individual and team strengths. Nearly a decade ago, Gallup unveiled the results of a 30-year research project on leadership strengths. More than 3 million people have since taken the firm’s StrengthsFinder assessment. In Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why … Read More
Inside the Mind at Work: Manage for Progress
Inside the Mind at Work: Manage for Progress “So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to do work.” ~ Peter Drucker As any fan of The Office can attest, negative managerial behavior severely affects employees’ work lives. Managers’ day-to-day and moment-to-moment actions also create a ripple effect, directly facilitating or impeding the organization’s … Read More
A.C.T. Like a Hero: The Journey to Self
A.C.T. Like a Hero: The Journey to Self It’s relatively common: you’ve got all your ducks in a row, established some healthy routines, and you’re comfortably progressing on your career path. Then “bam!” you hit a wall. You’re stuck. You wake up knowing something’s missing and you don’t know what it is. It may be a mid-life thing, but it can … Read More
The Under-Management Epidemic
The Under-Management Epidemic Are you part of the under management epidemic, or are you a truly engaged manager? You may think you’re a good boss, but a recent survey reports 9 out of 10 managers are providing insufficient oversight – a problem that consultant Bruce Tulgan calls the “under-management epidemic.” Ten years ago, research from Rainmaker Thinking, Inc. confirmed an epidemic of … Read More
Mental Toughness for Success
Mental Toughness for Success Few of us wake up in the morning with the intention of being a hero. Instead, we hope to get by without any major stumbling blocks and aim to do what is expected of us. It’s only when confronted with obstacles that threaten to derail our routines and plans that we don the armor and go … Read More