Philosopher William James said, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” Thoughts and emotions are tied to one another. Just thinking about something generates an emotional reaction, which triggers similar thoughts and emotions. This loop can send us spiraling downward in ways that are seemingly out of our […]
Read More → Clients often ask me about proven ways to develop themselves. They want to grow as people and be more skillful and emotionally intelligent when they engage with others. If you’re interested in growing in these areas, I recommend exploring Core Energetics. Core Energetics will help you enhance self-awareness, increase your ability to self-regulate and […]
Read More → Pushing back, or attempting to influence others to move or change their position, is something we all need to do from time to time. So, what keeps us from advocating for ourselves, or the greater good? Fear. That gut wrenching discomfort that pops up when we rock the boat, think we’re seen as a […]
Read More →Negative thought spirals can hijack our ability to power through situations we perceive as difficult. Forbes.com contributor Alice Walton offers some new ways to beat back those debilitating voices in our heads that make our fears feel real and infuse doubt. In addition to meditation and mindfulness, Walton recommends Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It sounds intense, […]
Read More →A recent Harvard Business Review article suggests that when trying to change someone’s mind, the best thing to do is listen. The article sited a powerful example where this approach led to change of a deeply-rooted and troubling custom among some Pakistani tribes. Frequently, instead of listening, we tend to craft an argument in favor […]
Read More →Labels are part of how humans make sense of the world. But, when we reduce things to categories, we falsely convince ourselves that we understand our unknowable universe. Labels are, and have always been, the great separator. At work and out in the world, they’re used to make uneducated snap judgments. Labels influence the way […]
Read More →You’re in a meeting. Something happens. You feel like pitching a fit. Heart racing, head swirling, your emotions are red hot. Here’s a way to diffuse your negative energetic charge and address the issue. Find someone with whom you can vent and get it out of your system. Vent with someone who will keep your […]
Read More →All around us, there are signs that many of us are deeply entrenched in our views. In a 2017 blog post, author Frank Sonnenberg wrote about the benefits of being open-minded. I want to share with you the eight reasons he urges us all to embrace open-mindedness. Your horizons will expand. Your decision-making will be […]
Read More →Sales Superstars Don’t Necessarily Make Good Leaders If you’re a senior executive don’t be swayed by star performers who aren’t team players. Stop being overly inclusive as a means of avoiding conflict. And, be honest when a team member’s performance no longer makes the grade. A recent article by McKinsey & Company says the talent […]
Read More →“To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” Within these words by Henry David Thoreau, I find an undeniable truth about consciously choosing to think positively. So, I’m asking you: what thoughts are occupying valuable space in your mind? Do you […]
Read More → Lift the Burden By Acting With Integrity Here’s a Zig Ziglar quote I really like: “With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.” These words make me breathe more easily. What a beautiful, unburdened way […]
Read More → Your Important Work After the Big Hire You’ve just completed a lengthy hiring process that included internal and external candidates. For someone in your company, getting that job would have meant a promotion. Even though you can start celebrating finding your ideal hire, you also have to break the news to a fellow employee […]
Read More → It’s wise to think through a sticky, difficult to discuss issue, before raising it for open dialogue. Developed by the late Harvard Professor Chris Argyris, here’s an exercise that can help you think through hard to discuss topics, and perhaps find the clarity and courage to surface them for dialogue: Identify the specific situation […]
Read More →Our Words Shape Our Self-Confidence and Ability To Achieve Our Goals While the conversations you have with other people can be life defining, so is the monologue that runs, nonstop, in your head, all day, every day. What you talk about with others, and your self-talk, shape your thoughts and feelings. The more you talk […]
Read More →Of the over 40 videos on my website, tmgspeaks.com, the most popular one is, “How to Listen More and Talk Less.” I’m delighted that people are interested in becoming better listeners. It seems, at times, that the scales are tipping dramatically away from “listening to understand,” and toward “listening to respond.” The two modes […]
Read More → The prevalence of overly biased thinking is something we seem to be confronted with more and more. Increasingly, I hear people questioning how we got here, why, and what can be done about it. Virginia Tech professor Ann-Sophie Chaxel conducted a study to see if people can be led toward less biased thinking and […]
Read More →What Made Businesses Great In 2001 Still Works Today Jim Collin’s book “Good to Great” was written in 2001. The “Level 5 Leaders” he wrote about were most effective at producing high returns. But by their very nature, Level 5 Leaders aren’t in the headlines. Their accomplishments are rarely showcased as examples of success. But […]
Read More →Let Conscious Choice — Not Emotion — Drive Your Actions When things go wrong, what do you focus on? Identifying who made the mistake or whose fault it was? Do you obsess about the weak link in the chain? Or do you use your finite energy to craft a solution? I’m sure you can guess […]
Read More →How To Move Forward With Emotionally Intelligence When a project you’ve made a significant investment in goes south because you misread the direction of the market, or your plan was poorly executed, can you check your ego at the door? Or do you waste time and energy trying to cover up missteps or attempting to […]
Read More →The Rules Are Changing. Are You? Company holiday parties are an important place for coworkers to bond and get to know each other outside of the work environment. But this year, scrutiny of everyone’s behavior is more intense. It’s important to keep in mind that not all harassment is sexual or physical. Here are some […]
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