Mentoring is like an infinity loop in which both parties benefit and have the opportunity to experience each side of the relationship throughout their career -- and perhaps simultaneously. Meaning, you can mentor someone at the same time you are being mentored by someone else. Either way, a typical mentoring relationship occurs over four stages: Qualification of fit – Style match, … [Read more...]
Completing the Emotional Intelligence Puzzle
Mastering any one of the four primary Emotional Intelligence competencies can go a long way toward helping a leader improve her effectiveness. And, understanding the relationships between each and their interdependencies can magnify that leadership value even further. A framework for remembering the four Emotional Intelligence elements is to organize them into a logical matrix. On the … [Read more...]
Relationships Rule
Of the four Emotional Intelligence (EI) competencies, retaining, growing and managing relationships is one of the more challenging to master. For one, it requires an investment of time and energy, sometimes with no immediate “pay-off.” It invites vulnerability, which, let’s face it, is not always comfortable. It also depends on the other three EI skills (Self-Awareness, … [Read more...]
Put your Social Awareness Antenna to Work
You walk into a conference room for a 10AM meeting. Five minutes into the meeting, you notice the following: Two angst-ridden people from the same department tapping feverishly on their phones One person with his laptop open intensely pounding out an email The quiet person on your team sitting back from the table at the far end The not-so-quiet person on your team already energized and offering … [Read more...]
Manage Thyself
Managing oneself is a key aspect of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and confounds many leaders. Let’s face it, being aware of a behavior that doesn’t serve us well is one thing; it’s quite another to exercise a suitable alternative when we’re in the heat of the moment. Let’s begin by sharing some examples of what it means to self-manage. Leaders who self-manage well tend to… … call … [Read more...]
Know Thyself … Including Thy Blind Spots
Pop Quiz: Have you ever felt impatient and annoyed with a person sauntering in late to a meeting you’re running? Have you ever fantasized about something unpleasant happening to a co-worker who has a way of taking all the credit? Have you ever raised your voice in order to be heard in a conference room filled with a lot of opinions? Or, are you more likely to withdraw in that … [Read more...]
The Possible Dream … Work-Life Balance
An article from Entrepreneur highlights some interesting research noting that 66 percent of full-time employees strongly believe they don’t have work-life balance. In our “always on” world this is probably no surprise. Nonetheless, that does not mean a healthy work-life balance isn’t achievable for you and your team. Afterall, as a leader, your team looks to you to set the pace and to model … [Read more...]
Amp Up Your Leadership Game
In the spirit of “no time like the present,” now is the perfect time to step back and take stock of what you need to amp up your leadership game. Here are three simple ideas (and a downloadable tool) for keeping your leadership development front and center. Own the fact that leadership development is paramount to your success and take the initiative to make it happen. No matter where … [Read more...]
Feedback … The Ultimate Leadership Advantage
The notion of perfection is a fallacy, especially when it comes to leadership. The most effective leaders are those willing to look in the mirror, embrace their blind spots and modify that which is not working well for them or others. Like an athlete at the top of her game, there is always opportunity to improve. While conducting a personal SWOT analysis helps you self-assess your leadership … [Read more...]
Hats Off to Dogged and Disruptive Change
Hats off to those of you who laugh at the face of danger and yawn at the status quo (you know who you are!). For most leaders, however, the constant drumbeat of change is draining and uncomfortable. A leader’s tendency to resist or embrace change varies dramatically and is driven largely by her perception of the risks and benefits. It sounds straightforward, yet rarely is. Once … [Read more...]