When you are trying to resolve a conflict with a team member, a genuine sense of curiosity about the other person’s perspective often goes a long way toward resolution. You reveal your sense of curiosity by the questions you ask the other person during the conflict conversation. That said, most of us do not naturally ask good questions. Rather than ask questions for the … [Read more...]
5 Steps For Helping Your Team Navigate Rocky Roads
By Barry Kaplan and Jeff Manchester, authors of THE POWER OF VULNERABILITY: How to Create a Team of Leaders by Shifting Inward In our work with hundreds of organizations, it has become clear that in order for teams to unleash their full potential, team members must experience true and authentic connections with one another. Only then will they feel safe to bring their best … [Read more...]
Break a Stalemate and Start Executing
Gaining team consensus is a huge win. After all, it means everyone is on the same page, and that you can more easily move forward and begin making progress. What happens, however, when you can't reach consensus? In team settings, it's certainly not abnormal (nor it is it a bad thing) for members to disagree. What can often happen, though, is that some members refuse to … [Read more...]
Ensure That You Have Communicated Effectively
The communication process really should be easy. You say something to other people. They hear it. They act in a way that is consistent with what you said. End of discussion. However, it’s not quite that easy. In reality, the process for spoken communication goes something like this: You get a picture in your mind of what you want to communicate. You convert that … [Read more...]
Do This When You Need to Correct an Employee
I want you to pause for a minute and imagine this scenario: You ask an employee, coworker, friend or family member for an honest opinion. The person offers it, but it's not exactly what you wanted to hear. Perhaps your spouse commented that she didn't like the new dish you prepared. Or your coworker disagreed with your plan of attack on a project. Or your BFF admitted that … [Read more...]
A Better Way to Look at Change
Change. The mere thought makes some of us want to run and hide because change almost always requires extra effort, whether that effort is to log more hours, deal with chaos for a bit, or simply change one's attitude about something. Change takes time, energy and money, and it is usually difficult. It's normal to be skeptical of change. That said, change also creates great … [Read more...]
The Wrong Thing to Do When Faced With a Problem (and What to Do Instead)
As I watch what is going on politically across the nation, attend various business meetings and even participate in family discussions, I can't help but notice how the rhetoric and emotion often increase, while the civility and human connection decrease. People become obstinate or angry. Some even resort to insults, and productive conversation flies out the window. The … [Read more...]
5 Signs That You Are a Bad Listener
By Marlene Chism, consultant, executive educator, professional speaker and the author of Stop Workplace Drama, and No-Drama Leadership. One of the most important communication skills you will ever learn is the art of effective listening. This skill alone has the power to transform any relationship. In your professional life, listening is at the heart of effective leadership, … [Read more...]
That Escalated Fast! 5 Ways to Turn a Disagreement into a Full-On Fight
Just in case you would like to have some fun with another person during your next disagreement, here are some tips for quickly escalating a minor miscommunication into a full-blown argument. Tell people what they should feel When you want to get a strong emotional response from someone, just tell them how to feel. For example, you could say “Don’t be angry" or "You … [Read more...]
It’s Time to Have That Difficult Conversation
You can put off having difficult conversations with employees about negative behavior and poor performance, but you can’t avoid those discussions forever. By delaying the inevitable, you risk the chance of escalating your dread into chronic anxiety. Perhaps you’re concerned about saying the wrong things and hurting someone’s feelings. You may be worrying yourself sick over … [Read more...]