For meeting leaders, it can be challenging to consistently make regular, standing meetings interesting and relevant.  If you’re the meeting leader, you might feel obligated to set the agenda and come prepared with all the answers.  If you do, you will suck the life out of the meeting and lull participants to sleep.  Here’s a way to increase […]

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A study from the University of Exeter in the UK confirms that bosses who put the people who follow them first, boost productivity.  The researchers used 130 independent, previously published studies to test their theories. The result:  the “servant-leader” style of management, which is ethical, trustworthy and shows genuine interest in the wellbeing and development of staff, […]

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Intense business demands can lead to highly task-focused leaders whose myopic approach to getting things done can be productive and it can be harmful, especially if they view people-focused activities as inefficient and a waste of time. Because, nothing could be further from the truth. The Harvard Business Review says it’s just as important to focus on […]

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Your schedule is jam packed, but there’s an important team meeting that you want to participate in.  The clock isn’t on your side, but with proper planning, here’s how you can ensure the team hears from you. Let the meeting leader know beforehand that you’re coming but can’t stay. Plan to attend the first 30 or […]

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One of the behavior patterns I’ve worked on with many leaders is their need to be right and show others that they have all of the answers.  They know more and best. Insisting on being right is alienating. It turns others off. After all, if you’re always right, that automatically makes others wrong. Artist and […]

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Wishing someone at work would say, “I noticed what you did. Thank You. Good job!” Such needs are real and are borne out of frustration and benign neglect. We look up to leadership, expecting them to validate our presence and good performance. We hope team members we’ve helped or whose mistakes we corrected would say, […]

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Human nature can lead us down the path of emotional comfort. For example, Gallup says one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when they build their team is picking people who are too much like them. As a result, they surround themselves with a homogenous group. While homogeneity may reduce conflict, Gallup points to research […]

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 Are you starting an entrepreneurial venture? Have you already begun one? Or, do you work in a place where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives? If so, here are the 3 types of people Gallup says you need on your team. The Rainmaker. The aggressive, optimistic, risk-taker who is intensely motivated by sales and revenue. The […]

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Weekly team meetings – those regular check-ins – are still standard practice; a common occurrence in many workplaces. To keep pace with changing times, some have morphed into conference calls. Often, the purpose and format of these meetings were established long ago. Out of habit, they remain on calendars. But should they? It’s always good […]

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A senior leader asked me to work with him on several challenges, one of which is to how to get his team to be more participative during staff meetings. So, he invited me to a staff meeting to witness the action. Within ten minutes, the problem became crystal clear. He talked too much. He took […]

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6 Ways Reveal Team Dynamics Might Be Holding You Back Mindtools.com says leaders and team members can both contribute to team dysfunction. Good group dynamics are critical to a team’s success, but if yours suffers from any of these 6 issues, you’ve got work to do. Weak leadership. This gives way to the more dominant […]

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Is there someone in your workplace who you feel is exactly your opposite?  Perhaps, a bit of a thorn in your side?  You don’t understand her thought process or agree with how he operates.  He’s annoying.  She’s difficult to deal with. News flash:  this person may be just the thorn in your side you need.  […]

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