“You can’t have everything you want— but you can almost have anything if you’re willing to make a choice.” In our last two Influential Leadership Tips, we talked about (1) the real reason behind resistance to change, and (2) the concept of the Threshold of Activation. Now let’s look at how this works in […]
(Influential Leadership) The Controlling Factor of Influence Read More »
“If no action is happening, it’s for one reason only— you haven’t reached the threshold of activation.” Crossing Paths by Seward Johnson, at the Grounds for Sculpture Last time we talked about the real reason behind resistance to change: “People are not resistant to change—they are resistant to losing control.” In this
(Influential Leadership) Why People Don’t Change Read More »
“People are not inherently resistant to change—they change all the time.” Most change initiatives fail for one simple reason: They misunderstand why people resist. “People are not resistant to change—they are resistant to losing control.” In this Influential Leadership Tip, we break down the real driver behind influence, change management, and
(Influential Leadership) Change Management: What People Really Resist Read More »
“When things are quiet, don’t assume things are well.” In an interview I read with Austin McChord, founder of multiple successful companies. He was asked how, as a first-time CEO, he stayed ahead of what his company needed. One thing he talked about was recognizing the signs that people are drowning—when they
(Influential Leadership) Silence Is Not Always Golden Read More »
Hire The Best. That sounds kind of obvious, doesn’t it? But what do you do when the best candidate might be able to do parts of your own job better than you do? Or is an expensive resource who you might have to bring in uncomfortably close to your own level and salary? Doesn’t
(Influential Leadership) Hire The Best Read More »
I attended a leadership conference where the CEO invited the VP’s in the room to ask any and all questions, so we could “sweep them into the dustbin.” Larry asked a challenging question, which the CEO fielded. Later, Larry asked another probing question. When he asked his 3rd question, the CEO jokingly said we
(Influential Leadership) Be Open To Challengers Read More »
When one of your staff messes up, how you deal with it will speak volumes about your leadership to the entire group, not to mention others in your organization. If you roundly criticize that person in anyone else’s presence, you will add a huge dose of embarrassment to the feedback you provide. While your
(Influential Leadership) Carefully Consider How You Critique Someone’s Work Read More »
People follow leaders who are inspirational. One of the best ways to inspire others is to accomplish difficult things. People are moved emotionally when they see courage in the face of daunting obstacles. My sister is an example. To experience what I’m talking about, please take 5 minutes to watch the video. It
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To paraphrase something the Cheshire Cat said to Alice, “If you don’t have a goal, any path will lead you there.” I would add to this, if you don’t have metrics, it will take a much longer time to get there. Think about how this applies to achieving your goals and being seen
(Influential Leadership) Develop Your KPIs Read More »
It’s easy to ‘influence’ our subordinates and get them to follow. After all, we hold the purse strings, so they have a real incentive to follow, or at least to look like they are. We’re tackling a more difficult challenge when we seek to influence peers and others who don’t have that same
(Influential Leadership) Lead In Both Directions Read More »