Be Kind, Not Nice

I recently received a bit of wisdom from a colleague of mine, and it was very important in a conversation I had today with a client, so I”m passing on to you. First, an important distinction between being NICE and being KIND Nice is about what the other person is thinking and feeling–it’s their perception … Read more

What are you planting for your future?

I recently took inspiration from a retelling of this story, which speaks to the power of Integrity. The Emperor and The Seed (unattributed) Once there was an emperor in the Far East who was growing old and knew it was coming time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or one … Read more

Exercises to Strengthen Your Emotional Muscles

You do crossword puzzles and Sudoku to keep your cognitive skills sharp, and you walk and life weights to keep your body strong… but what do you do to strengthen your EMOTIONAL muscles? Here are a handful of exercises to improve your Emotional Intelligence — an especially critical skill set for leaders and influencers.

Don't be a Workplace Crab!

An effective leader does not behave like a crab, at any time and in any venue. Moreover, most good leaders have little tolerance for crabs, as they have a toxic effect on the workplace team. Still, crabs exist, for they often do their work under the sand, where they are not visible but they still undermine morale in the workplace.

Spit out the poison of Resentment

Today, I received a note from a friend who, several years ago, suffered terribly because of the actions and incompetence of another person.  He said, “I could never forgive him,” but his wife is encouraging him to let it go and move on. That’s what forgiveness is really about — moving on.  When you hold … Read more

Tell Your Team that You Love Them!

THE GIFT OF GREAT EMPLOYEES Recently, one of my clients was stunned by the resignation of a star employee — a woman he’d been developing for an executive role, possibly even as his successor.  He told me he was meeting with her in a few hours to discuss what he might do to keep her.  … Read more

You won't be good at what you don't do

You would probably not expect yourself to place well in a swimming race if you only got into the pool once every six months. And if you need to generate custom reports from the accounting software, you’ll probably seek training and experience so you can increase your comfort with the programming parameters. When you engage … Read more

Gratitude: You already know how to do this!

As you do your final preparation for Thanksgiving, remember that this is, in the end, a holiday about giving thanks and offering gratitude. Some people find it awkward to express their gratitude.  That discomfort comes from living in a world that has programmed us into thinking it’s all about me, me, me and stuff, stuff, … Read more