Resistance is data.  Don’t make it a problem.  Don’t push against it, get angry, or wonder, “What’s wrong with them?” When I say resistance, I’m referencing those moments when you feel others are working in opposition to you.  They’re saying, “No,” for no apparent reason, countering your good ideas, being confrontational and unhelpful, fighting against […]

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Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, author of Not In God’s Name, writes about the rise in religious extremism and violence committed in the name of God.  While being interviewed about his recent book, the show’s host asked him why he toned down some of his commentary from earlier writings on the subject. Rabbi Sacks replied, “I recognized […]

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The CEO was clear on the objectives of the leadership team’s summit. My job was to design the meeting and facilitate the group’s work. I asked him what he thought would be the most important contribution I could make, as their facilitator. His reply: “Keep us focused on the strategic. We tend to get into […]

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To sell your ideas to others, and even over resistance, use these tips: First, be clear about what you’re selling and it’s value to all stakeholders. To clarify your message so nail it every time you discuss the idea, write out your talking points. Make your core message short, succinct and easy for others to […]

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BRGs, or Business Resource Groups, are also called affinity groups, Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, and business network groups. If your company sponsors them, be an active participant…or start one. Here are just some of the benefits of being a member of BRGs: You get to interact with people who have a sense of shared […]

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  The earliest kind of BRGs, Business Resource Groups, were professional organizations like the American Bankers Association, the American Medical Association, the American Chemical Society, and so on. Members had shared cultural characteristics and experiences. They came together seeking support, to talk about their careers and lives – their ambitions and challenges – to keep […]

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    If you’re trying to learn new information, or teach it to others, find what in it is familiar and build the teaching around those recognizable chunks. According to new research completed by Carnegie Mellon University psychologists, it’s actually easier to learn new facts if they also contain familiar components. In the workplace, these […]

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  More and more, it seems I’m hearing people talk about relationships that are vexing to impossible.. Whether workplace or personal, the relationship is described as being beyond repair. Tensions are present – sometimes steady and stable, but sometimes escalating. According to the storyteller, there is nothing that can be done to rectify the situation […]

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  A study published in the June 29, 2015 issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that workplace impoliteness tends to spread – whether it’s dissing people in meetings or sending nasty emails or spreading rumors or making insensitive comments or engaging in shouting matches – and it negatively effects the environment and performance. […]

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As I discuss in my book, LIES That Limit, personal beliefs – what we think and say is possible and probable – shape and define our daily lives. If you want to limit your sense of optimism, hope, inner peace, drain your energy and zest for life, focus on your problems, see what’s wrong, talk […]

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  No matter where you are in your career, networking is an important skill set to cultivate and put to use. For your next event, make a plan and be purposeful. Greet the folks you know, of course. And, keep moving.   Set a goal to expand your network by meeting 4 to 5 new people […]

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  The word gossip carries a negative connotation, yet we all do it. We share good and bad news about someone who’s not in the room, and we do it for a couple of reasons. First of all, information is power. By being the one to share a juicy tidbit, you demonstrate that you’re in […]

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    If you’re looking for ways to shape your company’s culture, invest in training – not just any training, but the kind of learning experiences that provides a consistent message that aligns with the direction of your business, and teaches the mindsets and skills that support the kinds of behaviors and outcomes required to […]

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    Something is wrong with everyone and everything.  Fact is, there is no perfection.  In your workplace, relationships, finances, body, emotions and mood, something is not to your liking.  Even the good parts are not all good.  And in the worst of circumstances, bad isn’t 100% bad. How you see the circumstances of your […]

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    Today, people talk openly about their desire to know and live their true purpose.  The desire for deeper, more meaningful connection, to feel like you matter is prevalent.  Often, the felt-need for change is pressing and urgent.  We want life to be different, this day, this very minute! If you’re on a quest for purpose, […]

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      Lift your head up and look around.  I bet there are new people in your workplace. If so, reach out, say hello, extend a warm welcome. Do something that demonstrates you’re aware of their presence.  You might be surprised by the big difference a small gesture can make to a person who is still […]

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    We signal our thoughts and feelings to those around us, even when we don’t intend to. Inadvertently, the truth creeps out. So, if you’re unhappy at work, it’s unlikely that you can keep it a secret. Rather than allowing discontent to fester and intensify, respectfully, take steps to right the situation. For example, […]

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      When you engage with others, particularly when raising an issue, be clear about the role you want them to play. Knowing what you want, and asking for it, enables others to do a better of job of helping you in just the way you want. For example, you could ask the person […]

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    Emotional Intelligence – the ability to understand others and ourselves, is a powerful business tool, no matter your role or job level. When you’re self-aware, in control of your emotions, able to relate well to others, and motivated to achieve goals, your high EQ facilitates success in a number of ways, including: Increasing […]

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  In your professional and personal life, problems that persist are a valuable source of feedback. Yet, we often ignore the opportunity they present. Instead of looking within for solutions, we tend to look outside of ourselves for someone or something to blame. When you hear yourself thinking or saying, “They started this. It’s not […]

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