Leader's Beacon

Ever wondered what it felt like to be a lab rat?  Constantly being observed and tested.  Literally put under the microscope; each action scrutinized. Well, if you’re a leader – you might understand that feeling. As leaders, we must realize that, like it or not, we are being watched. Closely. The nuances of our behavior [...]

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“Good communicators are open to my ideas. They respect me. They know who they are and what makes them ‘tick’ and they want to know the same about me. They foster my growth while attending to their own. They are proud of their accomplishments and of mine-for our mutual benefit.” A Get Along seminar participant [...]

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Have you ever had confidential information leak that reflected on you or your department? One of the worst surprises for a supervisor is having confidential information repeated back from an inappropriate source. How could this have leaked? Who leaked it? We also recommend . . .Labelling and Second ChancesDecision making waste?Use Storytelling Technique to Communicate [...]

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With business demands and the amount of information increasing, it is tempting for managers to hunker down and spend most of their attention on tasks – dealing with customer/supplier issues, operational issues, answering email, endless meetings and the never ending to-do list. We also recommend . . .How to cut your incoming email by half [...]

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In the fast paced environment in which we live, we find that many of the relationships we have tend to suffer due to the way we deal with various situations. How you handle each interaction determines whether you create bigger problems or reduce or even eliminate them entirely. We also recommend . . .The Organizational [...]

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We have all been there – sent an email you regret. How do you handle the aftermath? This happened about a year ago….. I call it “Sorry, dialed the wrong number! ” We also recommend . . .How to Resolve ComplaintsWant to Collaborate? Choose Your LevelAre You Playing to Your Strengths?How Well Do You Get [...]

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You seldom hear the word “fear” in management development workshops. Of course the word is not welcome anywhere in organizations. It’s the “F word” in offices and plants. Odd, isn’t it, since fear is always lurking in our workplaces, especially during the last few years of economic hell? We also recommend . . .Sitting Is [...]

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How much information should a leader really share with employees? Some bosses are like Col. Jessup played by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men in thinking their employees “can’t handle the truth.” Communication continues to be cited as a problem in nearly all organizations. Solving communication problems is kind of like finding a cure [...]

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They say that employees vote with their feet.   Research tells us a high percentage of employees leave companies because they have a problem with their direct supervisor or boss. And, if you ask employees, one of these key frustrations is a lack of clear job expectations.  Imagine assembling a toy for your kids without the diagram/instructions.   Or putting [...]

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Certain words and phrases block connections cold and at the same time can make people steaming mad Here are some tips on language, words and phrases to avoid: We also recommend . . .When Bad Leadership Happens to Good PeopleThe Three Laws of “Everybody Else”Find Your Executive Presence Fear of mistakes or search for success?Employee [...]

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Google, I’m sure you will agree, is a business built on metrics and analytics. Well, they recently completed an comprehensive, rigorous internal study about what made great managers…at Google. The New York Times article says that Google wanted to build better bosses. Now, that certainly strikes a positive chord for me and boy does it [...]

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For all the productivity improvements technology has brought us, there is a dark side and it is impacting employee engagement and management effectiveness. I’m talking about the tendency to send emails instead of going and talking to people. We also recommend . . .Improving Productivity and Employee Engagement through Effective Front Line LeadershipEmployee Performance: Terminate [...]

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In the book Straight Talk: Turning Communication Upside Down for Strategic Results, Eric Douglas describes four different communication styles: the director, expresser, thinker and harmonizer. Each different style is based on a unique set of assumptions. Here’s a quick snapshot: We also recommend . . .Conflict and Change Co-existQuiet Leadership: Six Steps to Transforming Performance [...]

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The foundation for building rapport is based on the exchange of a few basic communication signals. Here are 4 key ways to build instant rapport. This is based on the book, Get Along With Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere by Arnold Sanow and Sandra Strauss. We also recommend . . .50 Key Ingredients to Enduring ConnectionsHow Well [...]

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I came across a quote from Oprah Winfrey, interviewed in the Dec. 26/10 issue of Parade : Everybody just wants to be heard…Do your eyes light up when I enter the room? Did you hear me and did what I say mean anything to you? That’s all they’re looking for. That’s what everybody is looking [...]

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A number of years ago my wife and I attended a workshop on how to facilitate dialogue. The session was led by our colleagues Will Stockton and Marjorie Herdes of Mobius, Inc. They do tremendous work, especially facilitating large group and community dialogue sessions, using a “roadmap” they’ve evolved over the years which they call [...]

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