A few years ago I completed a personality profile. Among other things, the profile measured empathy. When I received the results, I was very pleased. I scored very high on “sense of urgency,” “goal achievement,” “self-management,” and “analytical thinking,” and okay on empathy. I showed the results to my wife and she immediately (and emphatically) shouted, “I knew it! You … Read More
Building Integrity
Last week I asked, do you have integrity? To answer that question, I provided you with a list of six questions to help determine if you act with integrity. This week, my focus is on ideas to build integrity. To accomplish that, I found a great resource. Tony Simmons is the author of The Integrity Dividend: Leading by the Power … Read More
The Integrity Test
Do you have integrity? It is one of top ingredients of effective leadership. It means doing the right thing for the right reason regardless of the consequences. Integrity and trust go hand-in-hand. A high level of integrity yields a high level of trust and vice-versa. Effective leaders have integrity and are constantly building their integrity as well as modeling it … Read More
Words in Emails
Survey after survey shows that leaders consider themselves excellent communicators. Survey after survey shows that employees think leaders need to be better communicators. That creates a problem because there is a definite link between effective leadership and effective communication. There are many different communication channels, email being one of the more common. I don’t know about you, but I have … Read More
PTO
Have you ever returned from vacation only to be greeted with a seemingly infinite number of messages and emails? You come back refreshed and energized only to be buried alive in things to do? I’ve even caught myself asking, was worth taking the time off? The answer of course is yes, getting away from work and completely disconnecting is critical … Read More
Take a Break!
Two guys are chopping wood with an axe. One guy is going non-stop, determined to finish the job. The other guy takes several breaks, taking a seat beneath a nearby shade tree, seemingly taking a nap at times. At the end of the day, the guy chopping wood non-stop became very frustrated when he realized that the guy who took … Read More
Believe and Achieve
I think we’ve all heard the concept that if you believe it you can achieve it. Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Have you ever tried to achieve a goal when you had doubts about your ability to achieve it? I know I have! The first time I ran a marathon, I knew … Read More
What Will Your Legacy Be?
Leaders are not remembered for what they do for themselves, leaders are remembered for what they do for others. The most effective leaders are more interested in the success of others than their own success. The most important leader is not necessarily the person with the top position on the organizational chart, the most important leader is that individual … Read More
Claim Jumper
By the early 1850s, the California gold rush had attracted a less desirable crowd made up of crooks, bandits, gamblers and claim jumpers. They were all there to take advantage of the wealth being discovered. Laws were non-existent as California wasn’t a state yet. When a prospector found gold, he was immediately surrounded by other prospectors. Claim laws had to … Read More
Givers Gain®
By Bill Auxier, Ph.D. The holidays are here! To celebrate the season, our custom is to exchange gifts. While we enjoy receiving gifts, there is also joy in giving, and benefits too, business and otherwise. I used to belong to BNI, the short name for Business Network International. BNI chapters are everywhere, oftentimes with multiple chapters in the same community. … Read More
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you and yours have a great Thanksgiving! Please enjoy these words of Thanksgiving from my hero, President Abraham Lincoln. October 3, 1863 The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget thesource from … Read More
Suck Up!
By Bill Auxier, Ph.D. Have you ever heard anyone in your organization say that to be an effective leader you need to play favorites? I’m guessing it’s the exact opposite; effective leaders don’t play favorites. I’ve never had to fill out nor have I ever heard of a performance appraisal measuring how effectively you suck up to management. Most companies … Read More