by Larry Dressler | Aug 21, 2018 | From My Bookshelf
My last two blogs were about building a team culture of candor and courageous listening. But to do both well, what teams really need is a culture of skillful candor. Communicating with candor without skillfulness can be experienced as attacking, unloading, or...
by Larry Dressler | Aug 13, 2018 | On My Mind
In last week’s blog, I wrote about what it means to foster a team culture of respectful, real-time candor in contrast to one of inauthentic niceness. It’s easy to conclude that candor is all about speaking the truth. But the key to building a culture of candor...
by Larry Dressler | Aug 8, 2018 | On My Mind
There is a problem with your team. It’s niceness. I’m not referring to treating people with civility and kindness. I’m referring to an inauthentic politeness that involves withholding important critical feedback and avoiding difficult conversations. Niceness in the...
by Larry Dressler | Jul 24, 2018 | From My Bookshelf
A CEO recently said to me: “Leading my company these days feels like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube, blindfolded while on a roller coaster.” He was talking about the disorienting pace of change, the inability to predict what will happen next, and the complexity of the...
by Larry Dressler | Jul 18, 2018 | On My Mind
Great leaders understand that they can never give enough recognition as long as it is honest and deserved. For many employees, the right kind of recognition is as valued as monetary rewards. But too often leaders make these errors: The throw-away thank you –...
by Larry Dressler | Jul 10, 2018 | In My Tool Bag
Using picture card decks in my work has made me a believer in the adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I have seen how visual images can elicit new insights, invite people to tap into their emotional selves, and reveal previously hidden aspirations....
by Larry Dressler | Jun 19, 2018 | On My Mind
In Part 1 of this series, I introduced four “mental hijackers” that undermine our efficacy as leaders. The second blog examined two of those hijackers- worry and regret- and how to overcome them. Now let’s look more closely at the other two mental hijackers –...
by Larry Dressler | Jun 12, 2018 | On My Mind
In my previous blog, I described four mental hijackers – internally generated distractions that take us out of the present moment and cause us to lose focus and perspective. Now let’s look more closely at two of the hijackers – regret and worry. Regret causes us to...
by Larry Dressler | Jun 6, 2018 | On My Mind
We live in a world of information overload where it’s easy to lose focus on what matters most. From a 24/7 barrage of social media to fervent multi-tasking,- we’re distracted by micro-urgencies that scream for our attention: right now! But in addition to these glaring...
by Larry Dressler | May 23, 2018 | On My Mind
Imagine an employee who is extremely good at her job, who exceeds her performance goals every quarter, and who clients describe as “indispensable.” Imagine that it’s because of her that your company has grown so fast over the past few years. Now picture this: Whenever...
