Author: Rick
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DON’T FILL THE SILENCE VACUUM
Ron Heifetz, Senior Lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, is one of the foremost authorities on leadership. I had the privilege of learning with Ron several years ago and can personally attest to the unconventional approach he uses to teach leadership. In a Fast Company interview years ago he stated that “most leaders die…
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WALK TOWARD THE BARKING DOG
When I got out of the Army years ago, I needed to find work and landed a job with the local utilities company as a meter reader. This worked out well for me since I was going to night school and I was off by 3:00 PM every day. After the first day, I realized…
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5 STEPS TO DEAL WITH THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
What does the “Elephant in the Room” mean? This is where everyone in a meeting knows that there is an issue or problem BUT no one is talking about it. In many cases, the more the elephant is ignored, the bigger it grows! What are the costs of NOT dealing with it? Big problems and…
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ALWAYS BRING THE ‘CHALLENGER’ TO YOUR MEETING
The Catholic Church used the term “devil’s advocate” to make sainthood decisions for centuries until 1983 when it was eliminated form the process, ending 400 years of tradition. Since that time, the number of saints canonized has increased by 20 times. In their book Decisive, authors Dan and Chip Heath have offered an alternative term…
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THE POOR LISTENER’S EXCUSE LIST
Superbowl winning football coach Tony Dungy, has a saying that challenges himself and his teams to continually perform at the highest level…NO EXCUSES, NO EXPLANATIONS!. When was the last time that you felt you were not being listened to? My guess is that the other person could check one or more of the following POOR…
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USE THE GOLDEN PAUSE – OR BE READY TO LOSE
“I put my foot in my mouth.” “I should have bit my tongue.” “Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut? ” Any one of these self-statements points to one of the most simple and powerful listening tools being violated….the GOLDEN PAUSE. It is such a simple thing to do, yet it requires tremendous amounts of…
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‘REALLY’ LISTEN TO NATURE
Naturalist John Muir eloquently wrote: “Here is calm so deep, grasses cease waving… wonderful how completely everything in wild nature fits into us, as if truly part and parent of us. The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell…
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LEAD LIKE A THERMOSTAT
Leaders don’t just take the temperature of their team or their organization, they control it. A thermometer takes the temperature; a thermostat regulates it. So goes the life of an effective leader, otherwise known as….the thermostat. To create change, you have to control the temperature. There are 2 primary tasks: RAISE THE HEAT: So people…
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FACE CONFLICT HEAD ON – PUT THE BUBBLES ON THE TABLE
Conflict between individuals is an unavoidable part of working life. However, the way disputes are managed will determine whether there is positive resolution or damaging fallout for both employees and the organization. Studies reveal that over 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships between employees. There are a few common strategies that people typically…
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THE ‘EYES’ HAVE IT
I have asked hundreds of leaders the question….”Who is the best listener you know and what are they doing to be the best listener?” In the culture of North America, the number one response is EYE CONTACT. My best listener looks at me when they listen. In a May 28, 2013 article in The Wall…