Archive for 'Leadership'

When you consider words like power, selling, advocating and negotiating, they all really speak about one’s ability to influence.  The Webster Dictionary defines influence as “the capacity of persons or things to produce affects on others by intangible or indirect means”.  The interesting and somewhat surprising aspect of this definition is the mention of “intangible or indirect means” for achieving a result.  It almost implies that there is something subtle or covert going on.

In truth, what this essentially is pointing to is the fact that most of us are not moved to do things Read more »

David Rock of the NeuroLeadership Institute appeared recently on CNN  to help better understand why various groups either get along while others don’t. The interview topic was prompted by how the working of the brain can influence the differences between Congress and the Presidential Office and more specifically how it relates to the discussions over the ‘fiscal cliff”.

Research by Rock and others in this field has shown that there is a very natural logic behind this type of bipartisan behavior that goes way beyond any political or moral ideology. Since the beginning of time we have functioned Read more »

In the book Talk Inc. : How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organization it was interesting to note how the authors essentially synthesized this subject down to four keys attributes or requirements namely, intimacy, interactivity, inclusion and intentionality.

These don’t quite sound like the vernacular of leadership but when you consider in within the context of relationship it makes perfect sense. The reality is that business is simply a series of relationships that fuels the mission of the organization. Whether shareholders, leadership, employees, Read more »

When somebody is promoted, the merits of this decision are typically results based and presented as a reward for superior performance. In other words their future responsibility is predicated on past successes. This sounds logical but in reality it very often creates a major disconnect that can leave organizations reeling and, inevitably, regretting their decision.

The best way to illustrate this is the classic example of what happens to successful, high achieving salespeople. Though they may operate as part of a team they very Read more »

Many organizations are embracing the skills and tools of coaching with a view to creating a ‘Coaching” culture. Intuitively and practically, the benefits seem obvious. But what does this really mean and how do you even begin to make it become a reality? Coaching typically show up in 4 different ways.

For senior personnel it makes sense, for reasons of confidentiality and objectivity, that a suitably qualified external resource be employed for the purposes of supporting the development of a particular executive. This is Read more »

Motivation can take on many forms from physical rewards and incentives (Extrinsic) to the more subtleties of recognition, fulfillment and general emotional satisfaction (Intrinsic). As human beings we don’t function or perform solely on motivation; we also need energy. But what do we mean by energy and how does it manifest itself in the workplace?

In this context energy is primarily sourced from our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors; essentially how we, as human beings, show up. Bruce Schneider of iPEC Coaching has done quite considerable research into this arena and he points to two major types of energy that Read more »

With so much global expansion it has become commonplace for people to have interactions with fellow employees from other countries. Obviously this presents challenges such as with language or cultural differences, but there is another deeper rooted dynamic also at work that can be quite problematic.

However before we get into defining what this is and potential fixes, let’s explore a particular scenario to better understand the problem under review. Company X based in the US, highly successful for 10 years and it is acquired by Company Y from Germany. Notwithstanding the aforementioned language and cultural challenges the Read more »

If a leader was to suggest that there was an absence of teamwork in their organization it would be shunned upon and seen as a deficiency on his/her part. Operating with teams just because it seems like the right thing to do doesn’t actually work. However for teamwork to truly succeed it takes a conscious effort on everybody’s part and the following fundamentals need to be present.

A clear unifying path as to where the team is heading is essential. Leadership of the team can be quite but must be decisive and vocal at this point. Read more »

Brian Smyth recently wrote in his new book, Managing to be Human, “We are only as good as our relationships”. What he meant by this is that as leaders, we do not physically get things done; rather we rely on others to make it happen. To have these relationships to enable this is extremely powerful. In fact it is the appropriate use of this power that truly leads people towards a common vision, purpose or goal.

So how do leaders do this? How do they establish relationships in the first place and then, through ups and downs, Read more »

So many more organizations today have to deal with, not alone work colleagues at other locations throughout the United States, but also throughout the world. This is obviously not a new phenomenon but is becoming more prevalent and many would try to argue it is easier because of advances in technology. However if would be a mistake to think that technological advances can somehow circumvent many of the communication challenges that often exist between different locations. If fact they can add to the angst.

When Read more »