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Pay or praise?

Pay or praise? For many years I thought that money was the big motivator. Well, I learned that is not always the case. I read the following quote several years ago, and this quote alone has inspired me to lead differently,  “The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated,” William Jones. Research suggests, “pay fairly and competitively.” However, the fundamental factors in keeping the good ones are: Challenge Growth Opportunities Flexibility Meaningful Work A leader who values them They want the (non-monetary forms listed above.) Certainly, perks are valuable; they help in the recruiting process. But, research has proven good ones won’t stay because of perks. Not everyone is motivated the same. As leaders, we need [...]

By |2022-02-08T20:09:23+00:00February 8th, 2022|Coaching, Development, Leadership|0 Comments

The importance of probing questions.

As leaders, we always want to ask open-ended questions that inspire dialogue and eliminate tension. Here are some strategies to use when asking probing questions. The bridge before the question: "Help me understand." "I'm curious; please share with me...." "Could you tell me more?" The questions designed for the current situation: "What are all the possible solutions you can think of?" "What is stopping you from reaching that?" "What resources could you tap into to help you?" "Who may be affected by this decision?" The questions designed for the past: "Give me some background; how did you arrive at that?" "What have you tried?" (not have you tried A, B, or C) "What do you think went wrong or happened?" The questions designed [...]

By |2023-03-08T01:49:23+00:00January 31st, 2022|Coaching, Development|0 Comments

The one job no leader should delegate: having the right people, in the right place. 

There are so many things we can’t control – from the economy, supply chain challenges, actions of competitors, and those are to name a few. If our people are our most important asset, we need to pay careful attention to the one thing we can control– the quality of our people. This is especially true for leadership positions. As leaders, we can get caught up in strategy, operations, current people issues, and the business of every day. I have been guilty of this numerous times and failed to pay more attention to who we selected. I realized that the best competitive advantage we had was the quality of our people, and that is our differentiator. Some of you reading this [...]

By |2022-01-22T16:32:41+00:00January 19th, 2022|Development, Leadership|0 Comments

Influence is about them — but the responsibility is ours.

I have been writing and sharing some thoughts on the topic of influence. As John Maxwell has taught, and I believe, the definition of leadership is influence. Your influence on another person is critical in your leadership. It is true that when we influence another person, they benefit. However, we must own and continue developing the skills required to influence and change behavior to achieve better results. Your influence is not about you. Influence is the experience you create for someone based on what they see, hear, and understand. That is the key differentiator. It means the responsibility shifts from the listener or reader to the communicator. The bottom line is we must earn the right for people to listen. What I [...]

By |2022-01-22T16:01:28+00:00December 29th, 2021|Connecting, Development, Leadership|0 Comments

Three simple words.

How would you like to create a positive ripple effect that will move others to a deeper commitment? A three-word concept may be the right prescription. You see positive encouraging words are the seeds of commitment -- once they are spoken, they grow into results. We only have to say three simple words. Try a few of these out on your team, or someone in your life you care about. I appreciate you I trust you You will succeed I am sorry (and mean it!) I can help I understand you I promise you (and keep it!) I believe you You will succeed You inspire me I’ll bet you can think of more. We need to remember that the results [...]

By |2021-11-30T21:47:58+00:00November 30th, 2021|Connecting, Development, Leadership|0 Comments
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