Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

  “Very few of us ever learned how to be present with another person, to ignore internal and external noise and distractions, and to connect and converse with others in useful or collaborative ways,” affirm the authors of the new book, Bridge The Gap: Breakthrough Communication Tools To Transform Work Relationships From Challenging To Collaborative .  In addition, authors Jennifer Edwards and Katie McCleary , share that there are four external forces that make navigating professional relationships increasingly bumpy :  Four generations of people wake every day to go to work, together. The personal and the professional are intermingling in new and surprising ways. We are working under the conditions of an increasingly polarized landscape of politics, race, and media disinformation. We’re blind to the fact that each of us are part of the problem.  Primarily because of these author-identified factors, they wrote their book to focus on the how rather than ...

Today brings a book that is an indispensable resource for public relations practitioners who want to learn how to navigate the ever-changing landscape of public relations – which has become a far cry from primarily writing press releases and establishing media contacts.   The Public Relations Handbook is the book – the fifth edition of the version that premiered in 1967. This new installment, edited by Robert L. Dilenschneider , teaches readers how to:   Support a company’s marketing and sales Leverage social media Manage government relations Work with the media effectively Communicate with the investment community Support top management in the event of a crisis or scandal Positively position the company commitment to environmental, social and governance issues   Within the book’s 17 chapters, dozens of leading practitioners address specific skill sets, and execution capabilities that public relations professionals need today. These expert practitioners...

To learn how to stay motivated, read  High-Profit Prospecting , by  Mark Hunter . It's a powerful read that includes counterintuitive advice and cutting-edge best practices for sales prospecting in today's business world. Today, I share one of my favorite sections of the book where Hunter describes his  seven things motivated people do to stay motivated : Motivated people  ignore voices in their lives . These might be people in the office and friends who have bad attitudes. They're out there, and if you're not careful, they'll control you, too. Motivated people  associate with highly motivated people . Just as there are negative people in the world, there are also positive people. Your job is to make sure you spend as much time with the positive people as possible.  Motivated people simply  look for the positive in things . Positive people count it an honor to live each day, learn from others, and impact positively those they meet. Positive people take...

Equity ,  the book by  Minal Bopaiah , is a timely guide to help leaders create more inclusive organizations using human-centered design and behavior change principles. The book is based on research and provides engaging, real-world examples for taking impactful next steps. Most important, Bopaiah explains that  equity is different from equality .   She shares, “ equality  is when everyone has the same thing.  Equity  is when everyone has what they need to thrive and participate fully. Equity does not fault people for being different; it makes room for difference and then leverages it.”   In short:   Equality  = The state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities. Equity  = A state of fairness and equal access to opportunity that recognizes that people have different needs.   Equity allows leaders to create organizations where employees can contribute their unique strengths and collaborate better with peers...

Here is some great advice from the book,  Anticipate, the Art of Leading by Looking Ahead ,  by  Rob-Jan De Jong . Use these 13 energizing verbs more often when communicating: Discover  (instead of See) Explore  (instead of Discuss) Radiate  (instead of Display) Uncover  (instead of Show) Transform  (instead of Change) Engage  (instead of Involve) Mobilize  (instead of Gather) Stretch  (instead of Develop) Boost  (instead of Increase) Propel  (instead of Move) Deliver  (instead of Give) Grasp  (instead of Understand) Connect  (instead of Join)

Having conducted extensive field research, Ranjay Gulati , author of the new book, Deep Purpose , The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies , reveals the fatal mistakes leaders unwittingly make when attempting to implement a reason for being.   “My interviews with well over 200 executives across 18 firms revealed the secrets of these companies—not the usual facile frameworks, but new ways of thinking about business that allow leaders and companies to operate with heightened passion, urgency, and clarity,” shares Gulati. “I call this, deep purpose .”   Furthermore, Gultai explains that most leaders think of purpose functionally or instrumentally, regarding it as a tool they can wield. On the other hand, deep purpose leaders think of it as something more fundamental; an existential statement that expresses the firm’s very reason for being. These leaders project it faithfully out onto the world.   “Rethinking the nature of purpose should prompt you in turn ...

Bruce Tulgan ’s book,  The Art of Being Indispensable at Work   is all about  how to win influence, beat overcommitment, and get the right things done in your workplace .   Tulgan says that what truly sets “go-to people” apart is how they think and what they do, including:   They understand the peculiar mathematics of real influence  – doing the right thing for the long term. They lead from wherever they are  – going vertically before going sideways (or diagonally). They know when to say no and how to say yes . They work smart  – creating checklists, step-by-step instructions, and professionalizing everything they do. They finish what they start . They get better and better at working together . They promote “go-to-ism”  – finding other indispensable people throughout the organization and building new go-to people whenever there’s a chance to do so.   Other  characteristics of indispensable people , are:   Maintaining a positi...

Author  Paul Falcone  offers the following great advice for how to become a  stronger career mentor and coach  by helping your subordinates grow and develop in their own careers. Encourage others to engage in random acts of kindness. Find creative ways of surprising your customers. Focus on making bad relationships good and good relationships better. Look for new ways of reinventing the workflow in light of your company's changing needs. Think relationship first, transaction second. Realize that people can tell more about you by the depth of your questions than by the quality of your statements. Separate the people from the problem. Always provide two solutions for each question you ask or suggestion you raise. Employ right-brain imagination, artistry, and intuition plus left-brain logic and planning. And, one of my favorite pieces of advice from Falcone: Convert "yes...but:" to "yes...and" statements to acknowledge the speaker's point of view and to share a...

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, author of the new book,  Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook , explains that  high-performing teams have these eight attributes :  The team has time to meet and get to know each other.  All team members participate to establish team goals.  Each team member can describe the team’s primary purpose and expected goals.  Team members have responsibilities in their area of expertise and are aware of how they can actively contribute to achieving the team’s goals.  The team has a problem-solving culture and is encouraged to take risks.  The team is capable of making decisions that are backed by the entire team in a timely manner.  Team members feel free to voice conflicting points of view.  Both the team and the individuals receive feedback regularly, and there is a mindset of continuous improvement.

Toward the beginning of Joseph Lalonde ’s new book, Reel Leadership , he shares, “We’re going to delve into the leaderships lessons we can find in movies. We’re going to discover that movies are a fantastic way to learn, grow, and engross yourself in leadership. So, sit back; get ready. We’re going to dive into some reel leadership .”   You are going to enjoy the journey Lalonde takes you on, by first setting the stage as he chronicles the history of film, the history of leadership, and the science of learning, and then while he shares some of the best leadership lessons from his vast catalogue of movie watching through the years.   “I want to encourage you to think of movies as visual fables. They are telling stories that move the mind, body, and soul. They can touch you emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. There is power in movies,” says Lalonde.   Toward the book’s end, Lalonde provides the framework for a five-step process of gaining leadership insight...

  “Being human and doing what needs to be done are not mutually exclusive. In truth, doing hard things and making difficult decisions is often the most compassionate thing to do,” explain the authors of the timely and compelling new book, Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way . Whether you are a seasoned leader or new in your leadership role, add this book to your list of must-read books during 2022. Authors Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter , explain that: Compassion is the intention to be of benefit to others. Compassion is not about pleasing others and giving them what they want. For example, compassion can be tough and direct, such as addressing another person’s behavior if it is out of line. But it is done with the intention that helping them change will ultimately lead to better outcomes for everyone. Also, Hougaard and Carter share that empathy and compassion are different from each other . “The two terms differ in that empathy is an e...