Research shows us people have four different styles of communication. We call these: Director, Expresser, Thinker and Harmonizer. Each style has its own way of seeing the world. Each favors a certain way of listening, responding, making decisions, and solving problems. Most people use two styles more frequently; this blend determines how you communicate. It’s …
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Why learn to modify your communication style? After all, shouldn’t you be content to be who you are? That’s a reasonable argument. But your world consists of many different types of people — including colleagues, bosses, employees, and customers — and it’s to your advantage to understand exactly where they’re all coming from. Why learn …
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When your organization is under fire or in crisis, you need to see yourself as a heat shield. The metaphor is apt. When a space vehicle re-enters the earth’s atmosphere, the heat shield deflects and diffuses the energy that would otherwise burn up the capsule. Similarly, leaders must act as heat shields for their organizations. …
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When we think of straight talk, we think of speaking candidly and openly. We imagine saying what we mean so that other people understand us perfectly. We imagine a world of insightful exchanges, where people from all backgrounds talk to each other in constructive ways. We imagine a world where everyone takes responsibility for clear, …
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Surveys regularly show communication to be the biggest barrier to successful relationships, whether with your spouse, children, friends or colleagues. Yet few people know how to get a handle on this issue. Health and happiness can only be strengthened by getting to the root of the problem – giving people advanced tools to communicate more …
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By definition, leaders are change agents. Whether it’s launching a new program, entering a new market, or restructuring an organization, leaders have to navigate complex change. To do this well, it’s useful to think about the fact that change needs to be managed effectively at three different levels: the strategic level, the process level, and …
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How do you deal effectively with nay-sayers? The executive branch manager of a large bank in California raised this question. One branch manager, who manages an office of 40 people, was unable to deal effectively with a couple of nay-sayers in her office. The executive branch manager told me: “Basically, whenever someone challenges her, she …
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Recent articles focusing on the “unboss” approach have caught the attention of cutting-edge companies like Zappos. But can the “unboss” movement deliver on its promise of creating high-performing organizations? First, let’s define what we’re talking about. An “unboss” is the antithesis of a traditional manager. The unboss views himself as part of the organization rather …
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