What Motivates People If you’re a manager, you are called on regularly to motivate others. Being a successful leader relies on your ability to help others perform well.  Traditionally, we use the carrot and stick approach.  We bribe people with money or other incentives.  But, once the incentive goes away, so does the drive to […]

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Celebrating Women’s History Month: Tools and Tactics For Women At Work In her weekly blog, author and organizational development expert Dr. Anne Litwin sites study after study that conclude that women perform better than men in areas of leadership, management and decision-making. Yet women only make up 3 to 4 percent of CEO’s worldwide. For […]

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Quick to Judge Science now confirms that you only get one chance to make a first impression and that judgment happens more quickly than you’d expect. Psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Bastian Schiller and a team of researchers in Switzerland have discovered that subconsciously, we decide within milliseconds who or what we like or don’t like. […]

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The folks at Mind Tools say an average office worker receives about 80 emails per day. If your message is one of 80, or more, it can get lost in the shuffle.  As creators of solutions, Mind Tools has developed several tips that will help your emails get noticed and answered. Don’t over-communicate. Write only […]

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Which Black History month events are you attending? Whatever you do, go with a beginner’s mind. Even if you don’t typically participate in such programs, go with an open, nonjudgmental mindset.  You’re bound to learn something – about yourself, your colleagues or the history of people of African descent in the US. In fact, here’s […]

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What’s your approach to introducing a new initiative? Do you plan alone or with just a select few?  Do you make the decisions and tell others?  Do you push for closure, focused primarily on getting the task done? If you answered, “Yes” to the above questions you may find that your good ideas often fail […]

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Does teamwork and collaboration characterize your approach to managing and leading? Are you able to get your team members to contribute at levels you deem effective and desirable?  The best managers and leaders do.  Here are a few tips from their playbook: Set stretch goals – individual and team. Regularly, discuss progress, challenges and opportunities. […]

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Do you understand the importance of relationships in the workplace? Are you able to get things done in a way that doesn’t ruffle feathers?  If your answer is “Yes,” very likely you’re seen as a mover and shaker.  If “No” is your response, your effectiveness and reputation are suffering. If you work with people, in […]

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Do you allow LIES to limit you? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t.  LIES are labels, illusions, excuses and stories that exist in your mind, just out of awareness.  They shape your thoughts, feelings, decisions and actions.  LIES lead to detours on your path to happiness.  They short-circuit your ability and willingness to change and […]

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Len is a visionary. That’s one of his strengths –one that he sometimes feels is more burden than asset.  Why?  Because to the members of his organization, his ever-evolving aspirations feel like, “Here we go again!  He’s on to something else!  He’s never satisfied!  Before we really get going with his last great idea, he’s […]

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Are your goals for the year ahead on your mind? I’m thinking about mine. For the most part, we’re accustomed to writing SMART goals: Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-bound. This year, experiment with by adding another take on your process. Create a ‘Want’ and a ‘Don’t Want’ list for each goal. Here’s how: At the […]

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What are your thoughts about the idea of being self-made? Recently, I saw a man wearing a t-shirt with the caption, “SELF-MADE!” It was written in CAPS and seemed to scream at me, emphasizing the point. It got my attention, perhaps because earlier that day a client and I talked about how interdependent we really […]

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When it comes to decision-making, do you procrastinate? Do you weigh the pros and cons, over and over, again? Do you hesitate in an approach-avoidance dance? You’re not alone. Many people fear making the wrong decision so they make no decision at all. If any of this sounds like you, consider this: as long as […]

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What’s your office environment like these days? Many companies are moving to the new open space concept. Doing so represents a change – and in many cases, a significant one. If your work environment is shifting to the open plan, with fewer to no walls and private offices, utilize change management techniques as you lead […]

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Research suggests offices with open floor plans can be satisfying for extraverts who enjoy convenient access to colleagues and find the environment stimulating, while introverts tend to feel less satisfied. Extravert or introvert, here are a several tips that may help you feel more comfortable and be more productive. First, know your personality and acknowledge […]

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Environment is important to us, even if we’re not fully cognizant of the role in plays in the way we feel and behave. Research suggests it affects creativity, efficiency, productivity and satisfaction. Today’s work environments are morphing into spaces that are open, few to no walls or private offices. For some people, this is great. […]

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What did you learn last year? About yourself? Leadership? Team work? Relationships? Your company? Your colleagues. The world around you? Reflect on the various experiences you had – those you consciously choose and those that just showed up and presented themselves for you to deal with. What did you learn from them? In what ways […]

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When it comes to behavior change, did you know that asking questions could be more influential than making statements? Did you know that posing questions in a way that invites a “Yes” or “No” response can more effectively encourage the desired behavior than a declarative statement? The results of a 40-year research study conducted by […]

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Before the year ends, take some private time with your journal – electronic or old-school paper and pencil – and make note of everything 2015 brought to you. Make special note of what was good. Much of the good you may have planned for and expected. Some of the good may have been unanticipated surprises. […]

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I hope you’ve been attending holiday gatherings, and having a great time connecting with colleagues and friends – wherever they sit in your organization’s hierarchy. This is the time of year when many of us slow down a little. We relax and chill out. Our hearts tend to be a little more open, making it […]

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