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
Emotional Intelligence
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
Genius or Genius-Maker?
How Smart Leaders Bring Out the Best in People
Do you work for a genius? Are your organization’s leaders really smart, and do they focus on bringing out the best in other people?
Some corporations have made hiring the most intelligent individuals a core strategy on the basis that smarter people can solve problems more quickly than the … [Read more...] about Genius or Genius-Maker?
How Smart Leaders Bring Out the Best in People
Why Do Leaders Deceive Themselves?
The secret of rulership is to combine a belief in one's own infallibility with the power to learn from past mistakes. ~ George Orwell As much as we’d like to believe that we’re rational human beings, we can all too easily mislead ourselves. Self-deception is a process that encourages us to justify … [Read more...] about Why Do Leaders Deceive Themselves?
Leadership’s Link to Emotional Intelligence
More than anyone else, the boss creates the conditions that directly determine people’s ability to work well.~ Daniel Goleman, Primal Leadership Ever wonder why some of the most brilliant, well-educated people aren’t promoted, while those with fewer obvious skills climb the professional … [Read more...] about Leadership’s Link to Emotional Intelligence
The Business Case for Positivity
What good are positive emotions in the workplace? As scientists study the brain and learn more about how we achieve optimal functioning, the term positivity has finally captured business leaders’ interests. One study of CEOs showed that training to be more positive could boost their productivity … [Read more...] about The Business Case for Positivity
How to Cultivate Executive Presence
Someone in your company may have recently been promoted to a leadership position. This person successfully competed against other qualified candidates, some of whom were probably just as experienced and smart. As often happens in judging one candidate over another, the decision most likely came … [Read more...] about How to Cultivate Executive Presence
The Power of Empathy and Focus
Without empathy and focus, you’ll never be able to communicate effectively and relate well to others. People who lack empathy are sure to face interpersonal difficulties that lead to inferior performance, negative outcomes, and poor relationships with coworkers and customers. As a competency skill, … [Read more...] about The Power of Empathy and Focus
How to Read People and Influence Perceptions
Competition for top leadership positions is tough. Intelligence and good social skills are the price of admission, but they’re not enough. A high-potential candidate must master the intricacies of reading people, predicting behaviors and influencing perceptions — advanced communication skills that … [Read more...] about How to Read People and Influence Perceptions
Emotions – Leadership’s Secret Weapon
“Leadership isn't something you do writing memos; you've got to appeal to people's emotions. They've got to buy in with their hearts and bellies, not just their minds.” ~ Lou Gerstner, IBM’s former CEO Emotions are critical to business success because they drive behaviors. Companies that achieve an … [Read more...] about Emotions – Leadership’s Secret Weapon