Leadership Essentials
The Basics of Feedback
In her book Radical Candor, Kim Scott describes feedback in this way: Positive feedback should help people know what success looks like. It should “communicate explicitly what is valued and give people [...]
Enhance Your Workplace Community
A team that works collaboratively works like a well-oiled machine. Interdependent relationships are enhanced, communication is heightened, and accountability is high. As your team’s leader, what have you done lately to promote [...]
How Does Stress Affect Your Objectivity?
Under times of stress you may rely less on your objectivity and fall victim to fearing the worse or you could swing to the other extreme and take a rose-colored [...]
Leverage Your Emotions for Better Problem Solving
The basic premise of emotional intelligence is the better one manages their emotions, the more effective they will be personally and professionally. Managing one’s emotions includes the ability to summons [...]
How Controlled Are You? – Impulse Control
Impulse control is the ability to think before acting. Low impulse control is characterized by: The tendency to jump to hasty conclusions An “act now, think later” approach to solving [...]
How Do You Communicate Feelings? – Emotional Expression
Leaders who effectively express their emotions use words and physical expressions to communicate their feelings in a constructive way. This helps to build the authentic relationships that contribute to successful leadership. Consider the [...]
What are Your Triggers? – Emotional Self-Awareness
When leaders have a solid understanding of what triggers their emotions they can manage themselves and control the impact their emotions have on others. I once worked for a leader whose emotions could be triggered [...]
Balance Confidence with Relatability
Confident leaders maintain a full and honest view of their strengths and limitations. It is this balanced view that fuels their self-confidence. They lead with their strengths and delegate tasks that [...]
Acknowledge and Recognize the Success of Others
While interpersonal relationships are considered the medium through which leaders gain buy-in, trust, and the resources needed to reach their goals, the importance of a leader’s ability to form strong relationships within [...]
Communicate Standards & Expectations that Engage and Motivate
High performing leaders pursue purpose and enjoyment in their work. The pursuit of purpose creates fulfillment that motivates these leaders to always be on the lookout for ways to optimize their [...]
Confidence – Comfort with Failure
Leaders are not infallible. Given the scope of their work and the magnitude of their decisions it goes without saying that a few mistakes are inevitable every now and then. Mistakes, however, [...]
Leverage – Strong Relationships
Maintaining mutually beneficial relationships can have immeasurable returns, in terms of providing a supportive network to buffer the negative effects of stress, and promoting a positive team and corporate culture. [...]
Leadership Approachability
How would you rate your approachability? As you think about your answer, consider the extent to which others would say that you have an "open door" policy. Visibility and accessibility are [...]
To Be or Not To Be Independent – Consider the Implications
In the context of emotional intelligence, being independent means that a leader is capable of feeling, thinking, and working on his/her own. Leaders that exhibit strength in this area welcome [...]
The Emotional Aspects of Problem Solving – Balance is Important
Leaders need more than just problem-solving skills, they need to work with problems where emotions are involved and recognize how their emotions impact their decisiveness. Leaders with strong problem solving [...]
Control Your Impulses – Think Before You Act
Impulse Control is the ability to show restraint in the face of impulses and temptations to act. Leaders with high impulse control think before acting, which puts people at ease and [...]
Curiosity – The Power of Our Questions
I remember the time a senior leader said something during a small group conversation that motivated me to ask if he had an alter ego. He enthusiastically answered “Yes!” He [...]
Our Judgments Get in the Way
As much as we all absolutely hate to be judged and evaluated by others, at some point we have all done just that to someone else. Even if we don’t [...]
The Art of Connecting – Be Present. Be Focused.
In some ways email has disabled our ability to connect with one another in the workplace. We can all think of a time when we or someone we worked with [...]
Optimism – The Great Equalizer
While it is often said that “it's lonely at the top,” there are things that leaders can do to minimize that feeling of isolation. Something as simple as praising a peer on an accomplishment can [...]
Delegate to Develop
Individuals that lead differently understand the responsibility that leaders have for developing their people. Delegation can be a powerful development tool. Done well, it garners positive results. It frees up the leader for [...]
Lead Differently – Focus on Personal Relationships
The quality of a leader’s personal relationships (with family and friends) is indicative of his/her ability to form professional relationships that drive team performance, and stimulate collaboration and innovation among [...]
Change Your Mindset
Leaders often feel compelled to take on a great deal of responsibility to achieve the strategic vision of the organization. Moving into the new year, try harnessing the power of [...]
Practice Realistic Optimism
Ideally, optimism is rooted in rational thought and logic. As you move into the New Year with positive thoughts about what's possible, check to ensure that your optimism is appropriately [...]