Development Archives - Page 8 of 19

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

Mining for gold.

Andrew Carnegie was an excellent businessman, leader, and coach. He came to America from his native Scotland as a small boy. He did a variety of small jobs, and eventually ended up at the largest steel manufacturer in the United States. At one time he was the wealthiest man in America, and he became a great philanthropist. At one point during his career, he had 43 millionaires working for him. In the late 1800s, a millionaire was a rare breed. A reporter once asked Carnegie how he managed to hire 43 millionaires, with which Carnegie replied, “They were not millionaires when I hired them.” The reporter’s follow-up question was a simple, yet provoking one, “How did you develop them to be [...]

By Bob Fashano|2021-11-23T19:10:51+00:00November 24th, 2021|Coaching, Development, Leadership|0 Comments