Posted: October 23, 2014 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement

Now it is time to explore the 3rd style of communication – the mediator.  If all the world were completely of this style, there probably wouldn’t be any wars.  I doubt that hockey or football would have ever been invented either.  Those who are of the mediator style tend to be gentle, subtle, indirect, and inclusive.  They seek to understand others and built bridges of good will.  They are well-liked and seldom “ruffle feathers”.  Rooting for the underdog comes naturally to the mediator because of their innate compassion.  They show appreciation and are creative with lots of ideas, and do so with a “laugh-at’life” sense of humor.  Unlike the “presenting” style, they are not motivated by being in the spotlight and are quite comfortable doing their work on the sidelines.Read More…

Posted: October 14, 2014 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Team Building

Today I would like to talk about the first quadrant of the four personality types listed in the last blog – the “Driver” (choleric).  Before I begin, I want to emphasize that this is not one of those personality tests where someone tries to categorize us or put us in a box.  The purpose here is to improve our skills in communication and managing relationships.  In the roles we play each day, the understanding of ourselves and the basic personal style of others can create more quality conversations.Read More…

Posted: October 8, 2014 | Categories: Leadership, Sales, Self-Improvement

“If out of reading this book you get just one thing – an increased tendency to think always in terms of other people’s point of view, and see things from their angle – if you get that one thing out of this book, it may easily prove to be one of the building blocks of your career” -Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People)

I read the above words for the first time about 40 years ago.  In my years of managing and coaching since then, I have found this to be an absolute truth.  Since I read that book, I have been on a never-ending search on ways to keep growing in my ability to understand and positively influence others.

I want to share with you one of the most useful tools I have learned in keeping communication and understanding strong.  I call it the four quadrants.  Their origin goes back to ancient Greek/Roman times.  They have been used as the foundation of personality profiles in modern day.  Here they are:Read More…

Posted: September 30, 2014 | Categories: Leadership, Self-Improvement, Time management

“For want of a nail…the shoe was lost…for want of a shoe…the horse was lost…for want of a horse, the battle was lost.  What a sorry tale!  And all for the want of a horseshoe nail” – An old nursery rhyme

If we want to be the best, attention to details are critical.  As General Colin Powell put it, “Check small things…be demanding”.  Top achievers know and live the value of relentless attention to detail.  Everything counts.  Everything matters.Read More…

Posted: August 17, 2014 | Categories: Leadership

Several years ago I was coaching a team on negotiating skills.  Their company manufactured assembly machines and the average ticket was over 600K.  One day, one of their key clients called them and asked for the blueprints to one of the machines they were manufacturing.  Dave, the sales rep, knew what that meant:  They were shopping around and wanted to give the prints to another vendor to look at.  Dave didn’t want to give up the prints, but he kept thinking, “The prints are theirs.  They have paid for them.  I can’t be selfish”.  With painful reluctance, he let go of the prints.Read More…