Self-esteem is relatively scarce in the world and in your workplace. If you don't believe that, it's probably because: You have a healthy self-esteem and so you assume others do, or it never crosses your mind. You don’t have it, and are in denial, (or think you are the only one with weak or low self-esteem). Your people seem to have good self-esteem Self-esteem … [Read more...]
Hiding the Cheese (and Tearing Down Other Barriers That Make Change Hard)
I often say that facts dictate the need for change, and emotions create the barrier to it. Changing from one way of doing things (behavior) to a different one always involves loss, and loss triggers powerful negative emotions. You must understand and address those negative emotions to successfully influence change. I've often talked about about the power that having a weight … [Read more...]
Take the Sting Out of Bad News
I'm a huge fan of home improvement shows. One of my guilty pleasures is waking up early on a Saturday (when I don't have soccer mom duties), and catching up on the shows I missed that week while sipping a cup of hot coffee. My favorite show of the moment is HGTV's Home Town. If you like this type of show and haven't already, check it out. The married hosts, Ben and Erin … [Read more...]
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More and Change The Way You Lead Forever
Back in 2016 on the Kevin Eikenberry Blog, I was incredibly excited to share news about Michael Bungay Stanier's brand-new book "The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More and Change The Way You Lead Forever." March 1, 2018 marked the two-anniversary, and the book is now a best seller. The leadership guidance presented in the book and my thoughts on it are as pertinent as ever, … [Read more...]
Don’t Forget Your Manners When You Become a Leader
"Please." "Thank you." "Excuse me." "I'm sorry." Most of us were taught by our parents or other well-meaning adults to use those phrases liberally. Yet, says Keith Martino, author of Expect Leadership and head of CMI, a global consultancy that customizes leadership and sales development initiatives, “Simple as they sound, those phrases are often difficult for many people in the … [Read more...]
Prevent Presentation Failures
You may be outstanding at managing, inspiring and coaching employees. You were born to lead, and yet, when you speak in front of a group or give a presentation, you struggle. The fear of crashing and burning often throws you completely off your game. Presenting in some form, whether it is offering training, making a proposal to upper management or simply leading a team … [Read more...]
The Differences Between Feedback and Advice
Feedback and advice. Some people use the terms interchangeably. If you look at the most basic definitions, though you see that they really aren't all that similar: Feedback: "A reaction or response to a particular process or activity." Advice: "An opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc." The words hold very different connotations for … [Read more...]
Disengagement is a Huge Problem, But YOU Can Fix It
The most recent Gallup "State of the Global Workforce" report tells us that 85% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged at work, and it's costing $7 trillion in lost productivity. Is it possible that only 15% percent of your employees are engaged at work? If that's the case, how much is it costing you? As a manager, you have so much control over employee … [Read more...]
Avoid Poison Questions That Escalate Conflict
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...]