Communication

How to Avoid Getting Sucked Into Needless Activity

April 15, 2019

There’s no shortage of important work to do – both at home and in your job. So, the last thing you want tossed your way is unnecessary work. Nobody likes needless activity, right? But this is easier said than done. I’m sure you can easily recall getting pulled into something that did not add value […]

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How To Gain Buy-In From Your Team

April 8, 2019

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 […]

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Discovering Pez

December 31, 2018

What An Interactive Candy Teaches Us About Leadership and Coaching Christmas time always provides many fun memories and this year was no exception. Santa left Pez dispensers in my kids’ stockings—for the first time. My daughter was very excited to try out her new Pez “toy”.  With my background as a corporate trainer, I’m a […]

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My Must-Attend Conference of 2017 #workhuman

January 19, 2017

This time each year, many people peruse their industry’s conference offerings to decide which ones to attend. If you’re in the human resources, talent management, organizational development or leadership functions in your company, I suggest the WorkHuman 2017 conference. Now in its third year, the conference—sponsored by technology solutions provider Globoforce—seeks to help companies build […]

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A Dose of Medicine for Executives with BSO Syndrome

December 26, 2016

As a member of a company (big or small) you’ve probably felt a case of organizational whiplash from time to time. You know what I’m talking about? It’s that sensation you get when so many different “Big Ideas” get introduced (and then eliminated) by upper management, it’s as if your head has snapped back and […]

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10 Simple Phrases that Cast Sunlight

October 12, 2016

Last week I wrote about how we are naturally drawn towards positive people because they inspire us. In nature, that’s called the “heliotropic effect,” which describes how plants grow or move towards sunlight. This week, I penned a similar piece, but this time from a leadership angle. I bet you can easily think of managers […]

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6 Reasons Why #WorkHuman 2017 is a Must for Your Leadership Team

May 16, 2016

They had me at “make work more human.” I’ll admit it, I was already sold on Globoforce’s WorkHuman 2016 conference before I ever set foot in Orlando. Word of the inaugural event in 2015 had spread like wildfire in my HR community, with many of my conference-weary colleagues proclaiming this event one of the best—if […]

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The Power of Almost Perfect Practice

May 1, 2016

As the school year wraps up, I reflect on the intersection of learning a new skill and encouragement. My daughter is nearing the end of her first year of playing the trumpet for her middle school band. From my perspective, she’s done remarkably well. To hear her tell it though, you’d form a different conclusion. […]

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Leadership Communication is Vital During a Crisis

June 29, 2015

Even though it happened over 20 years ago, the memory is vivid: While working in corporate America, I was waiting for a fax for one of my projects. Upon hearing the sound of an incoming fax, I grabbed the paper off the machine, read it, and then lost all thought of the task on which […]

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3 Sure-Fire Ways to Ruin Trust with Your Team

June 25, 2015

Charlie is a charming, highly persuasive marketing executive for a growing technology company. He’s a delight to work with—until you tell him what he’s asking for isn’t possible. Then, his charm rapidly dissipates. On a good day, you’ll get a reptilian smile with, “I’m sure someone with as many years in the business can find […]

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