Your Lead Positive Hero’s Journey (Part 1 of 2)
(Editor’s Note: For part 2 of this blog post, please go here) A story well told transports the listener to a different time, place and plane. It captivates emotions and provides an exciting trajectory of experiences full of hope, struggle, uncertainty and surprise! Stories show us how to live life. Stories help us lead. Leadership stories...
ReadYour Greatest Weapon Against Stress
One of the main culprits wreaking havoc on our wellbeing and productivity is stress. Stress paralyzes by shifting us in to deficit-based thinking mode and holding us back from seeing and acting on the opportunities in front of us. For millennia, negative information has weighed more heavily on the brain to ensure survival. In neuroscience,...
ReadThe Key to Employee Engagement? Appreciating Effort
Research shows that what employees want the most is: to be seen, to be heard, to be recognized, and to make a contribution. It’s not hard to see how fulfilling the first three items can lead to employees doing more of the fourth. If you want to help someone learn something—particularly anything that is complex...
ReadGive Yourself An A!
I’ve already written about how to give constructive feedback that motivates others, but did you know that the first step to fine-tuning your coaching skills is turning your attention inward? In the face of challenging goals, it is tempting to worry about how much more needs to be done. Let’s face it: More always needs...
ReadWe Do What We Are
You have probably heard that famous quote from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Well, I am going to take that thought and reverse it: “We do what we repeatedly are.” It is difficult, nearly impossible, to see yourself as you are. As a leader, you must be rigorously introspective, and at the same...
ReadGet Them Excited! 4 Best Practices for Enrolling Others
You will often hear me saying, “People follow people, not just great ideas.” If you need to get others on board with your vision, you must tap into your ability to connect, influence, and inspire your audience. In order to inspire, leaders must be self-confident and optimistic. They must “lead positive.”When you “lead positive,” you...
ReadDealing with Frustrating People the ABT Way
We don’t always get to choose the people we work with. And even when we do, those chosen few can turn out to be much more difficult than we expected. But looking to the positive side of the ledger, situations where you have to deal with frustrating people are ripe for practicing your Asset-Based Thinking...
ReadHigh Impact Communication Part 3 of 3: Saying it with Soul
This is the last of three posts on high-impact communication. Read the first two posts on Saying it With Substance and Sizzle here and here! Soul: Your Skin in the Game The soul of what you say refers to the why—why the message is so important to your listeners, your mission, and you. Most leaders...
ReadThe See-Say-Do Chain Reaction
The brain, it seems, does not make much of a distinction between second- and firsthand experiences. Whether you’re doing something or watching someone else do the same thing, the same neurological regions in your brain are stimulated. Interestingly, research shows that the same pattern of neurons, called mirror neurons, fires in the observer as in...
ReadAre You A Reactive or Responsive Leader?
Highly effective leaders tend to be highly responsive leaders. In psychological terms, being responsive involves thoughtfully and intentionally adapting your behavior to the current circumstance. It entails first taking the time to calmly digest what is happening. In contrast, being reactive means to go straight into high-alert stress mode. Your brain automatically processes the problem...
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