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Showing posts from August, 2023

How To Work With Difficult Coworkers

  Nearly everyone I know has shared a story about a difficult person they’ve encountered in their workplace. Experiencing difficult individuals in the workplace is common. So common that author Amy Gallo identifies eight archetypes , each representing a common type of “difficult” person likely found in most workplaces.  “We might lie awake at night worrying, withdraw from work, or react in ways we later regret—rolling our eyes in a meeting, snapping at colleagues, or staying silent when we should speak up,” says Gallo.   "Too often we grin and bear it as if we have no choice. Or throw up our hands because one-size-fits-all solutions haven't worked. But you can only endure so much thoughtless, irrational, or malicious behavior—there's your sanity to consider, and your career,” adds Gallo.   Fortunately, Gallo shares in her new book, Getting Along , practical insights, tools, and techniques for how to get along with each type of difficult co-worker you’ll likely enc

How To Be A Lifelong Learning Leader

  “Great leaders are great students, and the world is their classroom,” says Damon Lembi , author of the new book The Learn-It-all Leader .  “Learn-It-All leaders are constantly creating and re-creating themselves, their companies, and their leadership. They are information extractors. They pull what they learn about everything—be it product innovation or how to inspire a team—from their lived experience,” adds Lembi.  These types of leaders also model and directly encourage a culture of learning inside their organizations. This attracts higher-quality workers, improves their performance over time and holds onto them longer.  The book is divided into two parts: Part 1: Being – explores how Learn-It-All leaders think . Part 2: Doing – examines what Learn-It-All leaders do differently .  Damon Lembi Some of my favorite takeaways (including some quotes) from the book include:  Quote : “Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma

How To Be A Collaborative Leader

Edward M. Marshall 's book,  Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, nearly two decades after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers  how to be a collaborative leader . Marshall says that there are  seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs. The seven roles are : The leader as sponsor  -- You provide strategic direction, boundaries and coaching for the team. You also monitor progress and ensure integrity in the team's operating processes. The leader as facilitator  -- You ensure that meetings, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships function effectively. You also ensure internal coordination of activities among team members. The leader as coach  -- You provide support and guidance and you serve as a sounding board. The leader as

How To Build Your Power And Influence Within The Workplace

  Through the years, I’ve featured four books by Robert L. Dilenschneider on my blog. His books are that good.   Today, I highlight his newest title, The Ultimate Guide to Power & Influence , which is a Wall Street Journal Bestseller and has also been on the  USA Today bestseller list.   In our rapidly changing world, adaptability and influence are key to success. “The book is a comprehensive guide designed to  help young professionals and career changers navigate these changes,” says Dilenschneider.   The book is structured into 15 insightful chapters, each focusing on a unique aspect of power and influence. “Every chapter has something relevant for you, no matter your age or place in your career. Pick and choose what you need when you need it,” explains Dilenschneider.   You’ll learn about: understanding the power of personal connections how to pivot in your career the right way to make mistakes how to use influence for the greater good how to be a memorable manager

How To Lead Your Family Business

  Julie Charlestein is the author of the new book, How To Lead Your Family Business: Excelling Through Unexpected Crises, Choices, and Challenges . Charlestein is also the fourth-generation leader of an incredibly successful family-owned enterprise, and she’s seen it all firsthand, including family drama in the workplace and the office politics that come with any corporation. Her book features her unique set of strategies for navigating the distinctive challenges and choices facing family businesses. In her highly personal storytelling style, Charlestein shares her experience as an emerging leader and ultimately CEO, who has worked to earn her colleagues’ respect. She details her leadership adventure, offering actionable strategies for those leading and working within their own family businesses. The book is ideal for anyone leading a family business or starting a family business.  It’s also good for anyone taking over an existing (or new) business. More about Charlestein: C

Step-by-Step Guide To Making A Hybrid Workplace Successful

The new book, Thrive With A Hybrid Workplace , provides a way forward to understand the changing world of work, to dispense of old biases, and to establish trust between the enterprise, its leaders, and its employees.   “Our goal is to provide organizations, leaders, and employees with guidance as to how to sort through what feels like a ping-pong argument about whether to embrace a hybrid workplace, explain the authors Felice B. Ekelman, JD and Jullie P. Kantor, PhD .   More specifically, the book will help you:   Understand flexible work options, and how to assess which options are best for your organization. Develop a thoughtful approach to hybrid work that is consistent with your organization’s core values. Identify how to best lead in hybrid work environments with the tools and competence to succeed. Identify pitfalls that may hinder success in implementing hybrid work protocols from both an individual and an enterprise point of view.   Both Ekelman and Kantor urge le

How And When To Ask Questions

"Questions help us break down barriers, discover secrets, solve puzzles, and imagine new ways of doing things, But few of us know  how  to question in a methodical way," explains  Frank Sesno , Emmy-award-winning journalist, and author of the book,  Ask More . Sesno's book teaches readers how the power of questions: Opens doors Uncovers Solutions Sparks Change More specifically, he reveals: The power and payoff of targeted  diagnostic  questions. How  strategic  questions can ease the hardest decisions and support triumphant outcomes. How and when to use  empathy  questions. How asking  creativity  questions help to get people to imagine, set their sights high and soar above failure. And, "when a leader fails to know where he/she is going, refuses to listen to what he/she doesn't want to hear, or relies on faulty information, bad things happen," adds Sesno. Frank Sesno Sesno also shares that some questions work best when they don't end in a question mark