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

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

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

There are some people you lead, manage, work with that you just can’t stand right?
No?  Come on be honest, there is always one…..
My mum, never really known for her great advice, did give me a stellar piece of advice about people who just seem to have it in for you.  Word of warning – it does only seem to work on women.
Mum’s advice?  Simple but devastatingly effective.  Be nice.  Overly nice.  I have employed it to great effect on 3 occassions.
In the first, a collegue and I just rubbed each other up the wrong way.  She became increasingly underhand, snide …read more