People avoid telling the truth in the sneakiest of ways, advocating loudly for their point of view. Take advertising, for instance. This is the perfect avenue for half-truths, spins, and outright lies. How many descriptions of high fructose corn syrup are there, anyway? Why do you have to buy those boots to be cool? Why…
The “It’s the little moments that trigger some of our most outsized and unproductive responses.”― Marshall Goldsmith, Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts Even on my best days, I have to stand guard to my emotional responses. That doesn’t mean I stay “guarded”, rather that I pay attention and especially to my triggers. They are sneaky little…
Has Emotional Intelligence become a buzzword that has lost its meaning? Could it be time to slow down and actually define and understand what we mean by such a vital skillset? Mastering emotional intelligence requires the same level of diligence as mastering any technical skill required for your career. EQ should be a required course…
A key leadership job is to take intelligent risks while assessing where limiting beliefs, old habits, and overused behaviors have you stuck. That place described above is your comfort zone. It’s where you go to feel safe and in the know. Here’s the conundrum – no successful business leader or entrepreneur gets to their desired…
From the book, The Humanized Leader: What’s the difference between criticism and feedback? Criticism attacks. What’s more, it attacks the person. It is sneaky as it disguises itself as trying to keep the other person safe – think of critical parents. It is more about controlling the other person so that the criticizer can stay in their own…
Communication is rich and effective when people are assured you have their best interests at heart. “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of The United States Communication that is wrapped up in the qualities of caring and curiosity is the best kind of…
Recently, a few clients shared their “difficulties” about offering feedback. They expressed a combination of reluctance, unwillingness, inability and frustration. “What do I say?” “How do I say it?” Some were coming across way too strong and others very weak. The results? People did not know where they stood, and some had no idea that…
It’s that time of year again – goal setting, promises to self, resolutions, dreams and wishes. I’m not knocking the process. Done well, one can create a solid path forward with accountability and celebration. If we are to be serious with ourselves, it can sometimes be an exercise in futility. The well quoted statistic tells…
A friend approaches you with an issue. What do you do? Our first impulse is usually to offer advice – human beings are natural problem solvers. Remember the last time someone gave you advice or tried to solve your problem? Did you like it or did you resent it? Did you want advice or did…
“This is eating me alive. I have to fire one-third of my staff. I love them.They are all amazing. How can I possibly choose?” This recent conversation was real and raw and likely what many of us are facing right now. The choices feel impossible. The team is solid and high performing. There is no…