Unless you have a love for canned meat, chances are you have a negative view of the word spam, especially when it shows up in your email inbox or ringing phone. And while we don’t want to be spammed, sometimes that is what our communication is – unwanted, disconnected, and ineffective. While that is never

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When you think of “good communication skills,” what do you think of? Odds are your mind goes to writing effectively, making excellent presentations, and being clear in your messages. Whether written or verbal, what you say is important. But what about how you listen and read? I’ve long heard that fifty-one percent of effective communication is

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Nearly all best-selling business or self-help books have a model included. In fact, it is often the model that is the basis for the book’s success. Any self-respecting (and successful) consultant uses models in their work, too. Yet, as valuable as these models, styles, and formulas can be, none are perfect. They can even get

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There are many highly successful companies that tout their customer focus. It is easy to see that they truly put customers at the top of their priority list. You can also find an equally long list of highly successful companies that prioritize employees first. So, which is it – customers first or employees first? Let’s

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If you’re a leader, you can probably picture this: you’re the leader of a dynamic team, and challenges keep erupting like unexpected fires. Being the capable leader you are, you rush to put them out, time and time again. But let me ask you this – is there a better way to lead, to truly

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I wish I could remember where I read this question recently so I could give attribution. “Are you a consumer or a contributor?” Wherever it was, it has been bouncing around in my head ever since. I hope I know my answer. I do know I am a better human and a far better leader

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Everyone would agree that communication is a critical leadership skill. I mean, if you can’t communicate your way out of a paper bag, as my father used to say, you’re not going to be a very effective leader. And so before we go any further, let’s be clear about what I mean by communication. Communication is

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In 2011, the movie Horrible Bosses was released. Opening at #2 at the box office, it grossed over $209 million dollars. The premise? Three friends decide their bosses are so bad, they plot to murder them. It does so well that in 2014, a sequel is released. In retrospect, this success isn’t surprising. Most everyone

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There are hundreds of things you could do as a leader that could create better results. But there is one thing that, when done with the right intention and consistency, will get you better results, improve nearly every metric you can imagine, and ultimately make your job easier. That one thing? Create more interactions with

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Empowerment – it’s a word that holds different meanings depending on the context. For us, it’s all about understanding how we can empower others in the workplace. But before we jump into that, let’s first consult the dictionary to see its definition. According to Merriam-Webster, empowerment is “the granting of power, rights, or authority to

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