The book, The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead by Michael Bungay Stanier, is a toolbox for coaching individuals. The book is written for managers or leaders of organizations, but it has applicability to those in...
Read morePersuade or Convince?
In reference to the great debate between Patrick Henry and James Madison in the Virginia convention considering ratification of the newly written Constitution of the United States in 1788, John Marshall, a member of the convention and later a...
Read moreLead by Coaching
One of the primary responsibilities of a leader is to guide and encourage the growth and development of the team that they lead and the team members. An effective skill for developing people is coaching. ICF, the International Coaching...
Read moreOne of the Biggest Obstacles to Genuine Communication
A frequent roadblock to effective communication is the phrase, “I already know that.” A recent article on the Idea Champions’ website speaks at length about the danger of using this phrase. This often occurs when someone begins a conversation and...
Read moreLeading by Listening – Part 2
Listening builds strong relationships. In the first part of this article, we focused on the importance of listening in team settings. Teams are more effective when the leader facilitates group discussions in which the entire team is working...
Read moreLeading by Listening – Part 1
Listening builds more effective teams. Listening is a key skill of leadership and the best leaders learn to listen well. Two of the presidents of the USA, that many consider the best, are great examples of leading by listening. George Washington...
Read moreThe Focus of Feedback
The purpose of feedback is to identify specific actions or behaviors on the part of a person or group in order to encourage more of or less of that action or behavior in the future so that we might mold future actions or behaviors toward a vision...
Read moreCaution: Be Sure Brain Is in Gear Before Engaging Mouth
One of the most common causes of failures in communication is allowing our mouths to take action prior to our brain having its say. This happens most often in highly emotional interactions but can happen in any conversation if we are too casual...
Read moreFirst Step for Feedback: Notice
Providing feedback is an important part of leadership. Feedback aligns the actions and behaviors of team members with the vision for the organization. Team members long for feedback. Affirmation and appreciation are good but people welcome...
Read moreThe Smartest Person in the Room?
As a leader, if you are the smartest person in the room, you need to find some smarter people. It’s true that intelligence is important for effective leadership. It is helpful in making good decisions. It is helpful in building strong, positive...
Read more