Several months ago, a coworker noticed I had a “throw down meeting” scheduled on my Outlook calendar. “Is everything OK?” she asked, eyebrows furled. I laughed, and realized I had some explaining to do! I told her “throw down” is slang for “fight” – those of us who work with troubled teens have heard aboutRead… Read more »
It’s small, but mighty. If ignored, it gets worse. It can cause us to limp, stumble, and ultimately fail. What is it? It’s our “Achilles’ heel.” We have weaknesses. Some weaknesses, such as dishonesty, aggressiveness, or blatant disrespectfulness, are glaring. Others, though not as obvious, can be just as debilitating to a leader and theirRead… Read more »
Have you ever been bullied? Have you supervised a team that included a bully? Though they sometimes go by other names, I have known my share of bullies and have struggled to deal with them at different times in my life. It doesn’t really matter if the bully is part of a little league softRead… Read more »
I’ve been reading Kenneth Clokes great book entitled “Mediating Dangerously.” Chapter Three is titled “Honesty and Empathy: Speaking the Unspeakable.” I am often at a loss for words in explaining what Mediators do, and I believe Ken offers at least part of the answer here: “Increasing the depth and quality of empathy and honesty encouragesRead… Read more »
The Series Welcome to the second of three posts intended to help you get the most out of GovLoop’s new leadership guide: 10 Traits of a Great Government Leader. Each of these posts covers a different theme and, taken together, cover all ten traits in the leadership guide. Our intent is to provide you withRead… Read more »
For the first time I was accused of being “Amero-centric.” This caught me off guard as I tend to see life as double-edged; the glass is frequently both half full and half empty. I’m trained to see the strengths and potentialities, vulnerabilities and faults of individuals, groups, and systems. I’m a big fan of F.Read… Read more »
[If you do not wish to receive my free mailings, email [email protected]] Hi, As we rapidly stream through the holiday season and New Year, I hope you can reconnect with loved ones, whether in person or electronically. I hope too you will take the time to pause and recall both fond memories and any feelingsRead… Read more »
Increasingly, research is showing a direct correlation between employee productivity, business profitability, and the degree to which employees feel their employers are concerned about their personal and professional welfare. (See The 2010 AMA Handbook of Leadership.) For example, in the groundbreaking work, First Break All the Rules: What the Greatest Managers Do Differently (Marcus BuckinghamRead… Read more »
This blog is an excerpt from Kathleen’s upcoming book Living the Leadership Choice. Join the Leadership Connection community to receive updates and exclusive content. “Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging the relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” – William James One ofRead… Read more »
Confession time: I owe North Dakota an apology. About six months ago, in light of the economic pressures on government employees, budget cuts and downsizings, further calls for their jobs or at least slashing their pensions, I wrote a satirical “Shrink Rap” ditty called “The Reorg Rag.” It started: It can’t happen here, I haveRead… Read more »