One of the new features here at Leadership Turn involves moving the leadership thought for the week to Monday.  While originally I thought that a little mid-week motivation was a good thing (and it is), I really wanted to do more than just share a thought.  I wanted to challenge all of us to work and focus on what the thought meant, and how we could introduce it into our business and personal lives.
Today represents that change.  I hope the thought brings you motivation for the week, but more than than, I hope you accept the challenge which follows. 
Really great people always see the best …read more

All too frequently today, people are starved for a little praise.  Whether we are willing to acknowledge it to others, or even admit it to ourselves, we all need a little praise in our life.
Awhile back, Milo wrote a post about his belief that a leader should not give someone a pat on the back because they need it, but only because they deserve it.
I disagree.
My leadership approach is different.  I believe that an effective leader learns how to best motivate an employee, team member, volunteer, etc., and then uses that information to help that individual succeed.  And sometimes, that …read more

Never underestimate the value of a compliment.
A compliment, given sincerely and publicly, shows regard and esteem for the recipient.  It builds goodwill, appreciation, and frequently a willingness to go the extra mile.  You will be seen as someone who cares about other people and their accomplishments, and not just your own.  Humor can be helpful in delivering a compliment, but should never be used at the risk of lessening sincerity.
A compliment given in a backhanded manner, or followed up with criticism, will be treated for what it is – a blatant attempt at manipulation, a simple put down, or the …read more

No matter how hard we may try to avoid a volatile situation, there will come a time when you have to deal with an angry person.  Whether it’s a boss, co-worker, team member, associate, employee, customer, or even a friend, at some point you will have to handle both the anger and the underlying issues.
Arguments and healthy debates are a vital part of life, and learning to handle anger at a low level stage, can generally keep it from escalating to a problem.
While it’s easy to think that anger is the other person’s problem (and it may well be), anger …read more

If you are leading a team, it will be important for you to recognize the learning style of your team members.
When you know how people best process information, you will then know how to best communicate with them when giving assignments, providing feedback, and motivating them to achieve higher levels of success.
Let’s walk through a couple of scenarios on how you can turn this theory into actionable knowledge.
The Visual Learner:  Will respond favorably to an instruction manual, written strategic plan, visual timeline and progress charts.  They will likely be motivated by the group’s charting progress to goals, a check off …read more

Now that you are aware of the different learning styles, what can you do with that information?
If you’re a teacher or trainer, your natural tendency will be to play to your own learning style.  For example:  If you are a kinesthetic learner, the chance are you will plan lots of hands on exercises, throw in a little role play, and end the day with group presentations.  Sounds good – for those who are also kinesthetic learners.  But if you’re a visual learner, this experience will make you feel like a fish out of water.
Learning should be an inclusive process, so …read more

There are three primary learning styles:  visual, auditory (verbal) and kinesthetic (tactile).  These learning styles impact how you process information, how you communicate information to others, and how you respond and interact within groups.  We all have a primary and secondary learning style. 
The development of this information came about from a variety of psychological and sociological studies, which I don’t intend to go into here.  There are lots of scholarly articles written on this subject, which will go over the research and explain some of the nuances of each learning style.
What I hope to do, however, is to simplistically point …read more

A_P_P_R_E_C_I_A_T_I_ON
Appreciation is the key to motivating your team.
Incidentally it will boost your own self esteem.  Give it a go – the results are almost instant!