Sometimes our leadership is restricted not by strategy or implementation issues, but simple because the culture we’re influencing is progress resistant. Here Coach Dave discusses what’s required to begin to shift the culture from resistance to collaboration. [Read more…]
Why it Takes 7 Positives to Reverse 1 Negative
In our rapid-change culture, whether your in a entrepreneurial venture or established niche, it can be very challenging as leaders to separate our organization’s fragile net worth and the cultural stress from our own self-worth and significance. As leaders, our fear or frustrations can often produce stress and negative emotions that in turn stimulate negative conversations within ourselves and with those we lead or serve. The result is communication, conflict resolution, collaboration and creativity are often stifled, just the opposite of what’s needed for growth and success. So what chemically happens within leaders and followers when leadership conversations turn negative? [Read more…]
Which Brain Do Agile Leaders Speak From? (Day 20)
If a Leader’s Action is their Speaking, which side of the brain speaks forth better results? And just as our brain works in different capacities between factual rationalization and intuitive imagination, how do our Speech Acts of Assertions and Assessments correlate to that? Let’s dive in and find some answers as well as gain some skill to grow our own leadership agility! [Read more…]
Powerful Promises Are No Surprise! (Day 19)
Back in the 70’s, Holiday Inn executives chose a new marketing slogan “The Best Surprise Is No Surprise.” Their promise was that the American Traveler would experience the same quality of stay no matter where in the world they traveled. And by 1972, founder Kemmons Wilson was featured on the cover of Time Magazine – his company by that point franchised 1,405 inns in the United States and around the world. For us as leaders, whether its hospitality, or consumer goods in the marketplace, government or the non-profit sector, the most powerful promises hold no surprises. [Read more…]
REQUESTS – Get What You Need! (Day 17)
Back in 1969, The Rolling Stones’ song lyrics reflected upon the end of the long overdue party that was the 1960s. “The first three verses address the major topics of the 1960s: love, politics, and drugs. Each verse captures the essence of the initial optimism and eventual disillusion of idealistic wants, followed by the resigned pragmatism of getting one’s needs met.” (Richard Unterberger) If the 60’s fashion return of 2014 was an indication, I’d say the same idealism of love, politics and drugs has been resurrected in our culture, for better or for worse. And these lyrics still ring true in our generation, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” but with powerful requests as Speech Acts, you can “Get What You Need” from others. Here’s how! [Read more…]