We 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...
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Making the Most of Mess-Ups
Imagine this: You have missed a deadline, forgotten a commitment, or (fill in the blank with your own self-generated debacle). You probably feel bad that you let down someone who relies on you. You may even feel worse that you didn’t live up to your own high standard of performance and you let down yourself....
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...
ReadHigh Impact Communication Part 2 of 3: Saying it with Sizzle
This is the second of three posts on high-impact communication. Click here for posts one and three! The Sizzle Makes It Stick While the substance of what you say is your credibility card, it is the sizzle of your words that makes them stick. Saying it with sizzle is about using your words and your voice to...
ReadHigh Impact Communication part 1 of 3: Saying it with Substance
***UPDATE: Click here for posts two and three of this series. What you say has high impact when listeners: Remember your message beyond the conversation or presentation Have a change of heart brought about by the message Take action as a result Influence others to join forces with you In Lead Positive, I talk about...
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...
ReadMagnifying what is best: The ABT Leadership Advantage
Asset-based leadership is a choice, an intentional way for you to navigate through your professional life. If you want to be an asset-based leader, you must first get to know your strengths and capabilities. Most of us know our gaps and our shortcomings a lot better than we know our strengths and capabilities. Most of...
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