For no one can be alive on a pedestal. – Anthony de Mello, in The Song of the Bird “It would really mean a lot to us if you also came to our house for Thanksgiving. We’d be so disappointed to spend the holiday alone.” In the US, it’s the season for giving thanks…and for
“Given our communal attention deficit, the pressure has mounted…to be fast, funny and heartfelt as hell.” Rob Lazebnik, writer for “The Simpsons” When it comes to communication, the stakes just keep getting higher: You have to not only cut through the noise and capture attention to be heard, you have to be Liked, with a
“You don’t know me but let me tell you why I’m calling.” My suspicions were instantly raised. Chris then explained he had seen me speak at an event and thought I might have contacts in his industry that would lead to a job change. He was warm and professional and quick to his request: “Could
I’ve been thinking about our most valuable currency as leaders. It’s not something you can store in banks, lend or steal. It is, however, something you can use and accumulate in a business, whether you’re an individual, a partnership or a corporation. While general accounting principles don’t classify it as such, it is a legitimate
Ignoring is the new denial. Behind our virtual workspace, and walls named Caller ID and Email Overload, we hide from the flood of emails, texts, tweets, status updates, calls and drop-bys. Other people’s priorities become our distractions. So we ignore and we isolate. Last week, I made my final attempt. Since our meeting a month
It is good to be in a place where we feel valued. Recent research by Dale Carnegie Training suggests that “feeling” valued leads to an increased likelihood of “creating” value – in the marketplace, at home, or at school. And yet, the research also shows that these places, where we feel valued, are rare. Some
Inspiring leaders show a full range of emotions. It endears people to them because it makes them human. It causes people to believe in them because emotions show that they are real and that they care. My most inspired and inspiring moments have come through lightness of humor and joy or depth of grief or
I want to work in an environment where people let each other be real. We engage and get stronger when we can be vulnerable. Vulnerability is courageous and honest disclosure of pain and insecurity. We can foster this authenticity when we respond with a sustained and non-judging presence. I learned about creating a vulnerable environment
Pain is threaded through our lives, including at work, and, if we’re going to lead, we need to be real about pain. It’s hard when people show us their problems. It makes us uncomfortable. Usually, when we are interrupted by the suffering of others, our primary motivation is to reduce our own discomfort as quickly
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