Guest article by Chris Heller When you talk to another person, you can never be 100% sure what they mean, what they are saying, and not saying. But there are methods you can use to get a better understanding of what they are trying to communicate. Here are some techniques that may help you. Pay Attention to Body Language and Facial Expressions Body language and facial … [Read more...]
Use Your Greatest Communication Power Source
By Guy Harris How is a cell phone like a coaching conversation, a car like a conflict resolution conversation, or a windmill like a project planning session? They all have a power source. Cell phones, coaching conversations, cars, conflict resolution, windmills, and project planning are all driven by power sources. And the power source needs to fit the … [Read more...]
The One Thing You Must Have as A New Supervisor
By Kevin Eikenberry The support that newly promoted supervisors are given varies-- a lot. While there are some organizations that have a clear training and development process for these new leaders, for many others, there is little to nothing. Many of these new supervisors are moving from the work that they were doing to leading people who are doing the work that they … [Read more...]
Stop Using Feedback Sandwiches
By Guy Harris How do you like feedback sandwiches? That is common question I get both in Bud to Boss workshops and in work with coaching clients. To set the stage for my answer, I often ask: When you are on the receiving end, what do you think of them? If you are like me and almost every person I have asked that question, you don’t like them. They taste bad. I … [Read more...]
Are You Talking Too Much?
By Kevin Eikenberry You've got questions and we've got answers. Hi, I'm Kevin Eikenberry, answering the questions that new leaders ask us. Actually, it's our goal to help all leaders be more productive, successful, and confident. Today, I am answering a question about how much leaders talk. Are you ready? Let's get started. Lots of leaders have asked me this question: … [Read more...]
Communication Tools To Inspire Others And Build High-Performing Teams
Guest post by Carolyn Stern, President and CEO of EI Experience and author of The Emotionally Strong Leader: An Inside-Out Journey to Transformational Leadership If you want to be an “Emotionally Strong Leader,” a person who can create trust bonds and deeper connections, motivate others and build high-performing teams, then you need to develop your Emotional … [Read more...]
Can You Be Both Strong and Kind?
By Guy Harris In a recent Bud to Boss workshop, a member of the class asked this question: “Are there some situations where you need to be strong rather than kind? I mean, if you’re kind, won’t people think that you’re a pushover?” Great question. It basically asks the question in the title of this post: can you be both strong and kind? I think the two concepts are not … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Boss to Listen to You
By Guy Harris About half-way through the second day of a two-day workshop, a frustrated new leader blurted out: “All this talk about how to work with my team is great, but that’s not my problem. My problem is that my boss won’t listen to me. How do I get my boss to listen to me?” After sitting quietly for most of our prior discussions, she could not take anymore … [Read more...]
What to Do About a Team Member Who is Doing Nothing Right
By Guy Harris You have tried everything that you know to do. You have encouraged, corrected, taught, coached, sent to classes, partnered them with a co-worker, and they still do nothing right. What next? The short answer: fire them. The long answer: start (if you have not already started) the process of “managing them out of the organization” or whatever euphemism you … [Read more...]
The Power of Transition Conversations
By Guy Harris Navigating changes in your professional relationships is a big part of successfully transitioning from bud to boss. The change in your role and your responsibilities demands that your relationships change as well. You will experience changes in the type, scope, and sensitivity of relationship issues you face. The relative power dynamic or imbalance between you, … [Read more...]