Communication, Leadership
6 Words Undermining Your Ability to Build Trust
“Let me be honest with you.” “I need to be transparent with you.” “Can I be frank?” We hear these phrases frequently, but they all share one big problem. Indirectly, these phrases are telling the…
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How Do You Handle a Brilliant Jerk?
I’ve worked on several executive coaching projects where one member of the team is a royal jerk. What makes someone a jerk? Here’s our definition: a jerk or jackass is someone who is rude, abrasive,…
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7 Ways to Give Difficult Feedback
No one enjoys receiving negative feedback, and I’m willing to bet that providing employees with negative feedback on performance issues doesn’t top the list of favorite leadership responsibilities. It’s an easy task to procrastinate, especially…
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The New Definition of Professionalism
If you’re looking to ruffle some feathers, try telling someone their conduct at work is unprofessional. The indignant reply will most likely be something along the lines of, “what do you mean I’m not professional?…
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Great Leaders Need to Say “No!”
I’m willing to bet there isn’t a single leader out there who doesn’t wish they had at least 25 hours in a day to get everything done. Great leaders have a compelling, positive vision of…
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Is an Employee with a Bad Attitude Killing Your Team?
Employees with bad attitudes can be tough to deal with. These employees bring down office morale, and can do some real damage to the goals and bottom-line of your team or organization. You know these…
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Leading with Gratitude
As Thanksgiving approaches, we are reminded of the importance of gratitude in our personal lives. But what about our professional lives? And what about showing gratitude the other 51 weeks of the year when Thanksgiving…
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The Critical Connection Between Confidence and Leadership
During the past twenty years, our research and hands-on experience with leaders has led us to feel strongly that there is one aspect of leadership that is so critical, that without it, real leadership cannot…
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Ban Information Hoarding in your Organization
It was not too long ago that the unpleasant experience of going to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to do tasks such as changing title on a car, updating a registration or renewing a…
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The Important Roles of Fear in Public Speaking
Why is it, when someone asks us to speak before a group, that the mere thought sends quivers or convulsions through most of us? Suddenly, we lose sight of the fact that we routinely converse…
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