To tackle longstanding workplace discrimination, many future-focused organizations are adding diversity officers to their leadership teams. Why? Because the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission didn’t solve the ethnic, racial and gender imbalances prominent in the U.S. workforce, and the issues aren’t going away on their own. For example, check out the following statistics about the dismal […]
Six Simple Strategies to Reduce Stress at Work
OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) deemed stress a “hazard of the workplace,” and estimates put the cost of stress at $190 billion a year in annual healthcare bills. And it’s not isolated to specific industries – the problem is widespread. 65% of adults say that work is the source of their significant stress. […]
Leadership Guide for Managing Conflict, Part 2: What Conflict-Handling Styles to Use & When
Last week, I introduced the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), my favorite tool for developing conflict management knowledge. Leaders can use this tool to identify the way they typically handle conflict, and to make informed decisions about choosing an appropriate style when facing conflict. After understanding the five conflict-handling styles, and identifying which style you use most, how […]
Three Ways to Amp Up Your Emotional Intelligence Today
We’ve all heard stories or perhaps even witnessed leaders who just can’t keep their cool. They may storm through the office, slam a phone down, berate a manager or simply send dozens of nasty emails. This type of behavior is extremely uncomfortable for employees to witness, eats away at organizational culture, breaks down trust, and […]
Leadership Guide for Managing Conflict: Five Conflict-Management Styles
Conflict happens, whether we want it to or not. Most of us have a strong, visceral reaction to conflict, including (but not limited to) fear, avoidance, excitement and/or dread. However, when you boil it down, conflict is just when one person’s wishes and desires are different from another person’s. It’s the emotions that conflict evokes […]
5 Ways to Increase Happiness and Create Positive Change at Work
Have you ever started your “dream” job only to find yourself feeling bored and unmotivated a few months — or even a few weeks — in? As consultants who work extensively in strategic culture and employee development planning, we see this common scenario time and time again: New employees join an organization (small or large) […]
Introvert or Extrovert? There’s a Third Option
“Sensitive fake extrovert.” That’s how Jade Lenier classifies herself. As a performer and public speaker, you’d take her for an extrovert, but in truth, says Lenier, “my extroverted outsides don’t match my introverted insides. Because I do love being around people, but I become overstimulated and overwhelmed by them and must retreat to my own corner of […]
Miscommunication? Belief Language May Be To Blame
Language plays a crucial role in managing teams and empowering people. Not only is unbiased language powerful, so is behavior language. Here are the basic definitions of behaviors versus beliefs: What Are Behaviors? Behaviors are what a person is doing Behaviors can be observed, heard or experienced Behaviors can be measured What are Beliefs? Beliefs describe a person’s internal judgments about […]
Paradox of Leadership: How Do You Cultivate Diversity of Thought AND Hold People Accountable?
I recently had the honor of speaking with three other exceptional speakers in LA at the gorgeous Terranea resort. Since our four sessions were running concurrently, we couldn’t see each other present, so I made a point of meeting each one of them before the presentations started. As one of the speakers was prepping his […]
Watch Your Mouth: Decoding the Language of Unconscious Bias at Work
Oh Boy, Here She Goes Again How many times have you been in a mixed gender group and the leader says something like: “Ok, you guys. It’s time to get down to work.” “Oh, man, this is going to be a challenge.” “Oh brother, I can’t believe this just happened in that meeting.” Man, guys, […]
