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

Do you frequently find yourself involved in verbal battles with other people?  If so, defensive communication may be part of the problem.
Defensive communication occurs when one party to a conversation feels threatened, attacked, or is trying to protect their self-image.
Oh sure, we all react defensively on occasion, and it is, in fact, a legitimate defense mechanism.  But when all our communication carries the taint of defensiveness, it can ruin both personal and professional relationships. 
If you have a goal of eliminating defensiveness in your own communications, as well as not provoking it in others, consider these ideas.

Keep a communication log with details about …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

The object is to try to do everything a little better tomorrow than it was today.  Continuous improvement is the path to a higher standard of leadership.
 

Have you ever obsessed about something to the point where it took on a life of its own?  Where a small irritant became bigger than life?  When that one irritant consumed a disproportionate amount of your time?
When this happens within a team environment, it can destroy your individual productivity and motivation, as well as poison the relationships within the team.  Ultimately, the whole team will suffer.
Since it is inevitable that irritants will arise when working closely with others, how can you guard against the “mountain out of a molehill” scenario?
The first thing to do is identify the source of irritation or …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

When Kevin Eikenberry puts it like this it seems pretty obvious.
 What Eikenberry terms as his Anti-Atkins approach to team building, is an in joke on the CARB model he has developed.
Commitment to the team AND each other
Alignment AND goal agreement
Relationships and team members
Behaviours and skills
I was particualrly interested in the first two points.  I had a bit of an epiphany moment, especially in regard to alignment and goal agreement – that ongoing conversation is missing in my current team.
I’ll let you know how I go.