“Complaint has a noble history. It has driven human society forward and led to the abolition of systemic injustice. That it is now primarily associated with inconsequential moans and frivolous litigation is a travesty.” ~ Julian Baggini, Complaint: From Minor Moans to Principled Protests, Profile … [Read more...] about How to Voice a Complaint
The Magic of Mentoring
When people think of mentoring, they often associate it with an older executive who counsels a promising newbie. The senior leader advises the junior employee on his career, navigating office politics and what's needed to get ahead. But mentoring has dramatically changed over the last few … [Read more...] about The Magic of Mentoring
Add Meaning to Conversations with Power Questions
Asking good questions may be the most important, yet least developed, skill for personal and professional success. One popular belief holds that we win friends and new business by being clever and quick on our feet, and that our brilliance—saying just the right thing—is what attracts others. But … [Read more...] about Add Meaning to Conversations with Power Questions
How To Make Great Leadership Decisions
The normal state of your mind is that you have intuitive feelings and opinions about almost everything that comes your way. ~ Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize laureate in economics We are quick to pass judgment and make snap decisions. The smarter and more educated we are, the more overconfident we are … [Read more...] about How To Make Great Leadership Decisions
Making and Breaking Habits
Many people believe it takes 21 days to master a new habit. Wishful thinking! Self-help books and motivational gurus have promoted the 21-day myth for at least 50 years, with little research to validate the claim. In a 2009 European study, participants took a full 66 days to adopt a new habit. As … [Read more...] about Making and Breaking Habits
Brain Fitness for Leaders
We've known for some time that leaders require higher levels of emotional intelligence as they pursue career advancement. There's now accumulating evidence that cognitive fitness is becoming a focal area for high-achieving leaders. Until recently, busy executives could find few guidelines for … [Read more...] about Brain Fitness for Leaders
Become More Mindful: Are You Living on Autopilot?
Are You Living on Autopilot? A pattern of behavior can become so habitual that one barely notices anymore what it prompts one to do. One feels automatically, thinks automatically and acts automatically. ~ Martine Batchelor, Let Go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits (Wisdom Publications, … [Read more...] about Become More Mindful: Are You Living on Autopilot?
The Leadership Trust Deficit
Employees want consistency between their leaders’ words and actions. But only 11 percent strongly agree that their managers “walk the talk,” a 2011 Maritz poll reveals. Fairly or unfairly, leaders’ behaviors are magnified and weighted, including their values, work ethics, integrity and perceived … [Read more...] about The Leadership Trust Deficit
Choose To Be Well
As modern brain scientists study human behavior, they find that we operate more unconsciously than previously assumed. It’s not that we’re automatons without free will or that we lack rationality and refined decision-making skills. Our brains (specifically, the frontal cortex) simply drive us to … [Read more...] about Choose To Be Well
Let Me Tell You a Story
Let Me Tell You a Story... Do you know people who can masterfully tell the right story at the right time? Quite often, the best storytellers become our managers and leaders. Even if you have no designs on becoming a CEO or leading a division, you undoubtedly crave more control over your work, … [Read more...] about Let Me Tell You a Story