Communication
Great leaders know their opinion doesn’t matter
One of the things I consistently see leaders do that undermines their team’s effectiveness is freely expressing their opinion. The best leaders know that their opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is the mission. In most organizations as soon as the leader speaks, everyone is focused on pleasing the leader. At that point, the focus is on…
Read MoreGreat Cultures Are Built On Purpose
In order to lay the foundation for great workplace culture, two essential questions must be answered. The first, is your organization making the world a better place? And the second, is your team aware of and focused on that purpose? When you think about what attracts you to a brand or a company, is making…
Read MoreIs Your Team Dysfunctional?
In his now classic book, “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team,” Patrick Lencioni lays out the 5 key ways in which teams undermine their effectiveness: 1. Absence of Trust 2. Fear of Conflict 3. Lack of Commitment 4. Avoidance of Accountability 5. Inattention to Results My friend Nathan Lozeron does a great job explaining the…
Read MoreEffective Communication: Can You Actually Overcommunicate?
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -George Bernard Shaw Business leaders, speakers, and authors often talk about the importance of overcommunicating. I’m not convinced it’s possible. If you think communication is a one-way process of talking at people, then maybe there’s some merit to it. I prefer…
Read MoreTap into the power of dreams: A solution to get great employees to stay
In his New York Times best-selling book, “The Dream Manager,” Matthew Kelly states, “It’s foolish to hope employees will be passionate and engaged about their work if they’re not passionate and engaged in their lives–yet a staggering number of people are not enthusiastic about their lives.” Research shows that employees are more likely to stay…
Read MoreHow new phrasing can lead to new possibilities
Generative language is a powerful thing. Our words can be used to tear down or build up. Think about the possibilities around a simple statement like ”let’s explore some possibilities” or ”what do you need to make that happen?” Compare that to ”that won’t work” or ”you can’t do that.” When it comes unleashing human…
Read MoreThe Change You Are Looking for Starts With a Conversation
Do Crazy People Drive You Nuts? People do what they do for a good reason, but remember it is for their reasons not yours. Have you ever observed someone else’s behavior and thought, “that person is crazy”? I know I have. The reason their behavior seems crazy to you is because if you were doing the…
Read MoreAre You Safe? | Why Trust Is So Important
People do what they do for a good reason, but remember–it is for their reasons and not yours. Are You Safe? There is an overwhelming body of scientific evidence pointing to the importance of trust and psychological safety. Interestingly, Google conducted an extensive study on what makes for effective teams. The study was named after…
Read MoreYou Can’t Motivate People
Carrots and sticks don’t work. Organizational Psychologists refer to this as extrinsic motivation – motivation that comes from outside of yourself. The approach is seductive in that it often works in the short run, but is rarely sustainable. As soon as the reward or punishment is removed, the desired behavior disappears. People are hardwired to…
Read MoreIf You Want to Be Heard, Shut-up and Listen
One of my favorite sayings is that Conflict and Communication Rarely Coexist. People don’t generally disagree, they just think they do. The latest findings in neuroscience suggest that when I am trying to convince you of my truth, at a subconscious level the listener hears me saying that they are not as smart as me.…
Read More