When my daughter was in elementary school I chaperoned a group of second-graders on a field trip to the ArtPrize exhibition in downtown Grand Rapids. Picture this: ten 8-year-olds, excitedly dashing around parks and gardens, in and out of exhibition buildings. They were so excited to experience the art displayed throughout our city. Naturally, their…
Communication
Effective Meeting Leaders Set the Right Expectations
People hate meetings. This is not earth-shattering news. Many of the complaints are legit: meetings are unfocused, too long, or unnecessary. Some of the complaints are humorous (but still true.) One of the lesser-mentioned reasons that merits consideration is meeting purpose. People get frustrated with meetings because they are unclear about expectations surrounding the reason…
How To Accept an Apology at Work
Has anyone ever said anything to you at work that was really hurtful or snarky? It’s an experience we can all relate to. Sometimes it’s an intentional slight or power-play. But here’s the thing. More often, it’s an unplanned quip and your colleague wishes they could take it back. There are a couple of different…
What’s Your Leadership Trust Building POV?
When I was sixteen, my family moved across the state. It was the first time we’d ever moved; it was a leap of faith on my parents’ part that we would all adjust to our new surroundings. Luckily, I made friends fairly quickly and established a typical teen social life which included going out with…
4 Ways to Gain Team Input
So I’m sitting at a large round table, talking with a team of eight senior-level leaders who work for a large corporation. These are smart, sophisticated people, who have both street cred as field operatives and many years’ experience leading various types and sizes of work groups. We’re discussing the best ways to gain team…