I have two colleagues, both of whom I’ve known for about the same amount of time. With one, I’m somewhat guarded, not willing to be completely transparent. But with the other, I’m surprised at how vulnerable and candid I can be. The question is, why the difference? I know them equally well. Neither has any
We were walking through our neighborhood on Father’s Day this year when we spotted a man doing yard work. “Happy Father’s Day!” I called out. “What I want to do today is be productive!” he replied. I understand that—it feels good to get things done. The most recent book I highlighted on my Recommended Resources
Three guys walked into a bar: a partner from a well-respected accounting firm, the general manager of a local retail store, and me. When the partner complained to the general manager, “It seems like your store never has my size,” the general manager responded to the criticism. And it was fascinating to see how that
To help bring about an outcome by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance and guidance. I was thinking about my favorite skill of a leader, and I came across this definition in Webster’s dictionary. Do you know the skill? Maybe this story will help: I didn’t expect to get much out of a recent meeting I attended. I
What comes to mind when you think about consultants? It’s a word I used in my last post, and I realize the image we have of consultants isn’t always a positive one. We often think of them sitting across the table, giving us condescending advice or asking us judgmental questions. Who wants to set a
A consultant was meeting with an executive recently when the executive opened up about his stress and anxiety. The consultant was in a dilemma. He had an agenda and goals for the meeting, but this executive clearly had a need to be heard. Maybe you’ve been in a similar situation—on either side of that conversation.
We were in a meeting when people started whooping and screaming. In the middle of a weekday, in our office lobby, one of my teammates had gotten engaged. Her boyfriend had borrowed a car identical to the one in the movie Sixteen Candles—her favorite movie—and had dressed up like the boy in the movie. I
A recent youth soccer match gave me a surprising insight into organizational psychology. The players fell into two categories: the shooters and the passers. When shooters got the ball, they drove toward the goal, regardless of the screams from the coach or wide-open players on the field. Passers’ first instinct, on the other hand, was
In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant provides abundant research to support his thesis that givers are more successful than takers. He qualifies that these givers are “strategic givers.” While people who are selfish don’t get far, he also points out that people who are selfless get run over. People who are otherish, on
Of the 50 or so graduating seniors that heard me speak last week, two of them sent me an email asking for advice and help with getting a job. There’s something a little awkward about boldly taking that step, but they did it. What inside them made them do it? I thought about this after
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE