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Category: Leadership
Struggle…It’s all in the game
When it comes to leadership or parenting, we can learn a lot from a duck. A few years ago I was out walking during my lunch break. As I was walking back to the office, I noticed a mother duck and her chicks walking across the parking lot. I could see the duck and her chicks were headed for the curb, and I just had to stop and watch how the entourage would get over that barrier.
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Leaders learn to love problems
We are paid to solve problems. Selling is commonly defined as problem solving. Management is problem solving. A technician is a problem solver. Here is the intriguing part: If solving problems is what most of us are paid for, why does “We’ve got a problem” hit us like a sour note?
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Good communication means less resentment
“What we have here is a failure to communicate”
– Cool Hand Luke
According to Webster’s dictionary, negotiation is defined as “a discussion with an intent to reach an agreement”. Notice that is doesn’t say, “a shouting match” or “temper tantrum festival”. The reality is, that most effective negotiators are clear, consistent, calm communicators who possess the “Four F’s”. That means they are firm, friendly, frank, and fair.
Overcoming Inertia: Need a jump start?
I think locomotives are fascinating: Here are one or two engines pulling a string of heavy cars seemingly a mile long. (I’ve never measured it). I enjoy watching a train begin to move. It is a great example of overcoming inertia.
In leadership and building teams, it is also important to overcome inertia and build momentum. The leaders that succeed in this area are good at putting “wins on the board” quickly.
Wear this and dress for success
“An insincere grin? No. That doesn’t fool anybody. We know it is mechanical and we resent it. I am talking about a real smile, a heartwarming smile, a smile that comes from within, the kind of smile that will bring a good price in the marketplace” -Dale Carnegie
You may have heard the saying, “The expression we wear on our face is more important than the clothes we have on our back”. In my professional coaching, I have learned that this is far more than just a saying: It is a vital part of team performance.Read More…