A few days ago I was speaking with a leader in one of my trade organizations who was complaining about not having members involved. He was wondering why only certain people who join associations become involved. We have all joined different professional organizations during our careers for many different reasons. Sometimes we send in our dues to access information; sometimes we want to network within a certain community. Sometimes we don’t know why we have paid good money to become a member of a group other than everyone else in our field is a member as well. Whatever our motives, becoming part of an organization can empower us to become more confident in sharing our talents as well as reaching out to new contacts. But probably the best way to… Continue reading
Archive for the 'Communication' Category
On March 21, 2012, Terri Klass presented “Understanding and Managing Generational Differences at Work”. The presentation focused on insights about the generations and how to engage one another to create collaborative teams.… Continue reading
A leader’s success is oftentimes based on the performance and inner workings of their team. Building a strong team can be challenging even when the vision is clear and understood by team members. When I work with leaders and their teams, one thing that can really derail a successful outcome is poor collaboration and the breakdown of relationships. If team members don’t have strong rapport with one another, communication and trust dissolve. What are some key ways to cultivate trust, communication, rapport and collaboration?
- Trust is the foundation of any functional team. According to Patrick Lencioni in his famous book, “The Five Dysfunctions of Teams”,without trust there is little chance of achieving
When I coach leaders in how to become stronger communicators, I always ask them to share stories of who influenced them or greatly impacted their careers. We go around the room and each leader has a powerful anecdote to express with details of an important person and their behaviors and actions. It is fascinating to listen to these profound interactions and how grateful the leaders are for connecting with some of the people in their past work and personal lives. These encounters helped develop leadership skills and competencies in these individuals, which propelled them into a successful journey. Amazing! By sharing their stories, others are able to learn and grow and potentially integrate new behaviors into their own workplace situations. So why is storytelling so powerful? Is it possibly the… Continue reading
At the beginning of my program on Leader As Coach, I ask everyone to think of a great coach in their life. We then share the name of that person who has impacted us and how they have influenced our leadership path. We focus on the behaviors and words of that coach that helped shape our leadership success. Sometimes that person is a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a boss or someone we just happen to have met along the way. It is a meaningful and helpful experience to conjure up the characteristics and traits of outstanding coaching. Inevitably, the conversation turns to whether or not that person knew what a strong impact they had on our lives and leadership careers. It reminds me that we sometimes can inspire… Continue reading
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