Effective Ways to Approach Conflict and Difficult Conversations at Work

Disagreements. Squabbles. Confrontations. When people work with people, they disagree from time to time. But while a certain amount of “head bumping” is natural (even healthy), workplace conflict can quickly escalate into full-blown battles, leading to: loss of synergy and productivity; higher turnover and attrition (due to a toxic culture); damage to your organization’s reputation…

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The Right Words: Language that Inspires Courage in Employees

Words are incredibly powerful. Whether spoken or written, the language you use when communicating with your employees can hearten or discourage; convince or dissuade; inspire or depress. As a leader, you must choose your words with care and intention. While your actions undoubtedly speak volumes, what you say and write communicates how you feel about…

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Strategies of Uncommon Wisdom Fuel Top Performance

Leading a team to consistently perform at its peak is a common goal for managers – and a common theme to posts you’ll find on our blog. We’ve written about the topic frequently over the past year or so, sharing great advice from a variety of sources. Here are a few of our favorite installments:…

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Things That Make Great Leaders Unforgettable

Think back over your career to this point. What boss or manager made the biggest impact on you – and why? Maybe they were an amazing coach. Perhaps they brought out great qualities in you that you didn’t realize you had. And maybe you just found them to be incredibly inspirational. Regardless of the specific…

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Success Habits: Brilliant Rituals High Performers Follow

Tired of “dime a dozen” time-management tips? Looking for fresh ways to consistently perform at a higher level? Maybe all you need to do is adopt a few new habits. Regardless of their profession, experience or level of seniority, all successful people have one thing in common: they practice habits which match their focus and…

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People Make These Two Snap Judgments When They Meet You

How long do you have to make a first impression? One day One hour One minute It’s a trick question. The real answer? You have only a few seconds! Here’s why: When we meet new people, research shows that our brains quickly latch onto assumptions based on the recognizable patterns in their appearance and behavior.…

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Great Leadership Starts with Listening Skills

As a leader, what happens when you develop better listening skills? Your employees become more motivated, engaged and productive. You retain more information and make fewer mistakes. You foster mutual trust with your team. You develop 6-pack abs. Okay; maybe not that last answer – but you get where today’s post is going, right? Strong…

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A Fun Way to Be More Successful, Backed by Research

You could be chosen for a high-profile project. You could land a promotion. You could find a better job. …and then you’d be happy, right? Not necessarily, according to research by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage. While living, researching and lecturing at Harvard University, Achor spent over a decade studying the link between…

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Fun Way to Be More Successful, Backed by Research

You could be chosen for a high-profile project. You could land a promotion. You could find a better job. …and then you’d be happy, right? Not necessarily, according to research by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage. While living, researching and lecturing at Harvard University, Achor spent over a decade studying the link between…

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Dramatically Improve Your Performance: Drop These Habits!

Ever wonder why: You’re being passed over for promotions? Your team members aren’t more receptive to your ideas? You’re not asked to join special project teams or to spearhead new initiatives at work? Maybe your bad habits are holding you back. Nobody’s perfect, and we all have idiosyncrasies that occasionally make us challenging to work…

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