Recently I was asked by a client to help him improve his communication capabilities. English is his second language, and he wanted to be sure his messages were coming across in the most effective manner. Through my work with this particular client, my attention to language, tone, and inflection heightened; and I became painfully aware of the shortcomings of many of us in the way in which we speak.
Let’s face it, Facebook has changed our world; and this was the brainchild of one, young entrepreneur. Literally. Facebook has single-handedly revolutionized the way more than one-seventh of the world’s population communicates, engages, and consumes information. What can we learn from this organization and from its leader?
Most of us are familiar with the philosophy of “having the right folks in the right seats on the bus” when we are building our teams and organizations. We all have the intention of hiring good folks; yet, I would wager that all of us have made poor “people choices” at some point in our career. What can we learn from a highly successful entrepreneur about this charge for aspiring leaders?
Thank you to our clients for taking the time to share your feedback with us at Alignment, Inc. As promised, we will be posting this information to our website for those who are interested in the details. The high-level results are included in this post.
Recently, my home state of Arkansas was hit by a very strong snow storm (12 inches in my hometown of Hot Springs). Many were without power for days. Travelers were stranded. These situations can bring out the best and the worst of humanity. Many good Samaritans emerged, and sadly many opportunities for kindness and generosity were missed. Does this reality present itself in our workplaces, too? Does it matter?
How many of us have ever worked for someone or with someone that when we saw their name on the caller ID we dreaded picking up the phone?! Frankly, I believe most of us have probably been on both ends of the phone at one point of another – the caller AND the person being called. Lets face it: neither position ever feels good. What are a few basic steps we can take proactively to minimize having to make the “dreaded call”?
Recently I had a friend tell me, unsolicited, that I needed to consider a complete makeover…..hair, dress, make-up, and an overall updating of my appearance, given that I was growing older. After the initial hurt feelings, I began to wonder if she was not only right; it also led me to consider what other areas beyond just my appearance may need a complete overhaul as well.
With all the everyday pressures of our careers, some wonder why even hire a leadership coach? It may appear to be ‘just more thing’ on a long list of ‘to do’s. In fact, not too long ago, executives who hired an executive or leadership coach were looked down upon as ones that were on their way out.
That was, and still is, obsolete thinking.
There are many reasons that have helped raise the profile of the leadership development industry. Yet, what can a person really hope to gain from work with a leadership consultant or coach?
I believe in the power of stories. In fact, as many of you know, my first book is a compilation of stories of the people I have met along my journey who have taught me so much just through living their lives and how they intersected with mine. Each and every one of us haev the opportunity to learn and teach through our lives. It was incredible to read in The New York Times, the perspective of a world-class CEO and his integration of stories into day to day business.
Trust can often been an illusive component in business. We have all been privvy to empty conversations, vapid meetings, and glad-handing all void of true trust in the other person/persons in the room. From what many of my clients share, the pervasiveness of social media and technology in business can help or hinder trust in an organization. So, what can we as leaders do to foster a culture of trust in our organizations and between our teams?