The Four Quadrants of Public Speaking

When we think about public speaking, most of us tend to think of standing and speaking to other people while being physically in the same space, or maybe talking at or with just one or two other people we know, again, in person. Here’s the reality: Being physically together represents less and less of our…

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Leading Change Reprised

Suspense. Is it a bad thing or a good thing? Some people won’t watch a suspenseful movie or read a suspenseful book. Others won’t read or watch unless there IS suspense.  Suspense is that sense of fear and excitement we feel when something is unknown. When we don’t know what’s next—but want to know—we have that…

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Are You Like Most People?

(A version of this post was originally published here on December 17, 2017.) Here is a little quiz for you: the phrase “seek first to understand, then to be understood” comes from which of the following? The LEAD 24/7 segment on high-impact listening. The LEAD 24/7 segment on leaning in to healthy conflict. Steven Covey’s…

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Is Your Virtual Presence Important?

Welcome to my first attempt at a video blog… or vlog as some call it. Most of us are pretty new at this video thing and, even though we may have practiced a lot over the past few months, I’ve noticed that many of us aren’t putting a lot of thought into how we’re presenting…

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The Three Ears of Great Listening

A version of this post was first published here on July 15, 2018. Great listening is hard work. When done well, listening will yield huge dividends. If you are not fatigued after a period of focused listening, there’s a pretty good chance that you weren’t listening as well as you could have been. When we covered…

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Leadership in the Time of Quarantine

The last few weeks have certainly been interesting. The pandemic has disrupted our lives in ways many of us have never experienced before, and there is a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety in our world. How do you lead well in a time of quarantine? How do you rally a team where everyone is…

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How Successful Are You?

How successful are you? Your answer to that question will be determined largely by how you choose define success. I’ve found it very helpful to use multiple definitions of success. In fact, I’ve found using the right definition for success in various situations absolutely essential. I’m going to start by naming the three definitions or…

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Sink or Swim

(A version of this post was originally published here on January 8, 2017) I was a kid when The NeverEnding Story came out. There is a scene in the movie where the hero, Atreyu, and his horse are making their way through the Swamp of Sorrows. The swamp can only be passed through safely if you…

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The Power of Belief

You may find this hard to believe, but there is one thing that is so powerful that it can destroy everything good you have learned from LEAD 24/7. And this powerful thing with such destructive capability isn’t hiding in the cubical next to you. It isn’t in your smart phone. And it isn’t in your…

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