Connecting

When you are in leadership, you are in plenty of meetings. In many instances, you are leading and facilitating the discussion. You can be confident that around the "watercooler," your people occasionally say," Oh no, not another meeting." Knowing that your team resents another meeting is not a good feeling as the leader. So, what can you do about making the meetings more productive? Here are some "meeting rules "I have found helpful that may help the team look forward to the meeting. It is up to you, the leader, to adhere to them. Have a specific goal for the meeting (be sure to communicate this) Have an agenda, and be sure to stick to it (careful of rabbit trails) [...]

Can you think of someone in your life, someone very close to you, who often says to you, "You just don't listen to me?" Well, I am guilty of that, and I am working on it. We all know the importance of listening in developing and sustaining a relationship. It is better to understand than be understood. Your team members, the people you lead, expect that of you. They want to be understood. In other words, what they say matters. To be clear, listening is not hearing. Hearing is a physical act. Listening is more intentional and emotional. When we hear, we accept sounds. We are engaged in an active versus passive activity when we listen intentionally. In his book, [...]

Hey, Leader. Leadership is a heart thing.  Oh boy, here Bob goes again with the "soft "stuff. I believe there is a prevailing myth that leaders are supposed to separate their emotions from a situation and be tough-minded and rational. Here is some news for you, research over the past 20 years has shown the most influential leaders are the most open and caring—I guess "soft" wins gain. Here is the truth, folks, some of the most critical leadership competencies, such as integrity, honor, commitment, conviction, passion, and authenticity, are about the heart. Simply put, there is no faith and hope without the leader's heart. Our people expect their leaders to bring hope and hope for a better future. Author and [...]