Decoding Human Behavior
Taking the “Micro” Out of Micromanagement
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
We’ve all met this person. It might even be you. They blow into the room, point in your direction and tell you exactly how to do something down to the tiniest detail: the choice of font, the photos to be inserted, or the attendee list for a meeting. The tone of voice is that of a bark or, worse, oily manipulation. There is no room for discussion of alternatives to these activities or whether any of them will make a difference to the bigger goal. Welcome to the world of the micromanager…
How are Mindfulness and Executive Presence Related: Four Principles to Follow
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
Two years ago, when I first wrote about mindfulness and executive presence, it was near impossible to live in the modern world and not to have seen the barrage of articles, books, blogs, conferences and weekend retreats devoted to the topic of mindfulness. The barrage continues, only it no longer talks about mindfulness…
The Insularity of Anger: Brexit and the Barrier to Change
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
As I watch mesmerized at the fallout from the Brexit results I can’t help thinking about the power of anger and how it insulates people from its impact. In today’s landscape, there seems to be no shortage of anger and its omnipresence is deadening forward movement by leaders and their constituents…
Leading Collaboration: It’s About Connecting, Not Calm
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
You have decided that collaboration is an important company value and critical to its culture. However, what does that mean in practice to a leader? Consider the following scene…
The Power of Empathy: What We Don’t Know Won’t Help Us
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
“I know I have to work for him,” complains a young executive. “He runs our company but he seems so judgmental. Whenever we talk he just looks at me levelly as if waiting for me just to go away. That’s a problem when I need him to approve the restructuring of our group.”…
Humor As a Business Tool in Unknown Situations
Blog Post – A View from the Treehouse
Humor is an underestimated tool in moving business conversations forward. One of the reasons is that making a witty observation involves risking that the audience might be offended, unimpressed or simply not amused. You do not know how it will go until you put your comment into the airspace. However, it is only by putting it out there that you get the possible benefit of defusing a tense situation…
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
Article – The ZWEIG Letter
Knowing who does what, who needs to weigh in, and who makes the final decision is critical to success…
The Perils of Over-Functioning
Article – The ZWEIG Letter
When executives do too much, they might be avoiding a problem, and they can damage the firm in the process…
The Tricky Business of Leading Teams
Article – Julie Benezet
How to pilot through the human roadblocks that clog the path to project execution…
Office Bullies
Article – The ZWEIG Letter
They are everywhere, but they don’t have to win. Identify their behavior and rectify it, or risk losing your staff…
Office Tribalism
Article – The ZWEIG Letter
Tribes provide compelling places for support, validation, and direction, but tribalism cannot be allowed to thwart a firm’s success…
Avoiding Conflict Avoidance
Article – The ZWEIG Letter
Handle the difficult conversations by knowing who you are, learning about other people, and knowing what’s needed to win…
Unclogging the Communication Channel
Article – Training Industry
Aaron slowly made his way to his desk, his early-morning coffee sloshing over the rim of the cup. Fortunately, it missed the front of his favorite T-shirt. He didn’t notice. Instead, his eyes fixated on the floor as he mulled over his sister’s visit the night before…
The Power of Getting Along: How Group Cohesion Can Promote Learning
Article – Training Industry
I recently returned from a group tour of northern Italy. Traveling with a collection of strangers was a first for my husband and me. Group comfort stops, scheduled meals and history lectures felt like being back in grade school, albeit a pleasant grade school…
When in Doubt, Consider Training … or Not?
Article – Training Industry
I hadn’t given the issue much thought until preparing for a leadership retreat. A vice president shared with me the usual laundry list of organizational woes – lack of strategic focus, muddled communication, loss of top talent – all of which definitely needed attention…
Conflict Avoidance by Another Name: 4 Steps to Navigate the Discomfort of Feedback
Article – Training Industry
At a recent executive retreat, I asked, “Who has inspired you as a leader, and why?” In the past, when I have posed that question, I received a variety of answers. This time, the responses clustered around one theme: feedback…
Leaders: Avoid the Problem of Conflict Avoidance
Article – PM Magazine
Use the scariness of the unknown as a powerful source of motivation to build an organization’s future…
The Secret To Saying No Without Pissing People Off
Article – SWAAY the narrative, where women own the conversation
Time is precious. Never has it been harder to find than in the manic, hyper-connected 21st Century world of work. The business day of delivering products, services and company strategy now includes fending off a steady stream of unwanted requests. Not only are they a major distraction, they also devour our time and energy…
