lead with character - it's better.
I recently witnessed the birth of a cynic. It was one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen. And as I watched it happen, I felt powerless to stop it. A smart, effective, loyal employee had endured several years of oppressive management at a job he liked and was now a working for new ownership […]
The Sad Value of Cynics Read More »
Anybody out there work with humans? My condolences. We can be just awful sometimes. We can be wonderful, too. Most of us try to be helpful, aware and dependable more often than not. But we also have times when all bets are off and we are impeding, distracted and emotionally unpredictable. The fact that we
The Trouble with Colleagues… Read More »
Using the data of emotion. No one wants to deal with the guy who is prone to losing his temper and pounding his fists in meetings. We often avoid the gal who berates coworkers and subtly shames them in front of others. Our eyes quickly look at the floor if a colleague gets teary when
Irene’s Contribution to Management Theory Last week Hurricane Irene clobbered Vermont. Though she was officially a tropical storm by the time she made her way up the coast and into western New England, Irene dumped enough wind and water on the Green Mountains to turn a dozen towns into islands, wash homes and base lodges
Powerful Waves of Emotion in Vermont Read More »
Nope, this is not some weird mashup. This is what I realized I was doing while fighting a needless mental battle about the work tasks I resent. I, unlike Alice, strive to take the advice I give. Since my job is to help people become better communicators, it’s fairly vital that I do it well.
Alice in Wonderland is Raging Against the Machine. Read More »
A story about understanding the worth of your work The young woman walked toward my trade show booth as though a sharp stick was forcing her there. I said hello and watched her as she said, “Hi. Um, what do you do?” I told her about my work as management consultant and educator. I kept
The Value of the Blue Plate Special Read More »
I wrote this piece a year ago. I just had the same experience last week – different group, different profession, same problem. Last week I listened to a group of professionals talk about their work. They are all lawyers by training, but that’s not what they do for work. I was asked to give
Problems at work often focus on elemental descriptions: I’m completely buried; I’m blown-away; this project is on fire; we’re totally under water. That may be a sign that we enjoy communing with nature, but probably not. When I start hearing these phrases, it’s a signal that people need to stop, even for a minute, and
Earth, Wind & Fire Read More »
Follow Through Up to this point you have communicated clearly, set expectations and confirmed commitment. Now you’re ready for the last part: following through. This is the step that most people forget until something goes wrong. Everyone needs help on following through. How often have you meant to do something in a certain way or
Good Conversations – Part 4 Read More »
Getting Commitment: – If you don’t ask for it, you won’t get it You have now made your expectations clear. You have communicated clearly and everyone has the same information. Now you’re back in the day-to-day and you are wondering why people have not changed their behavior. Here’s my question to you: did they agree
Good Conversations – Part 3 Read More »
