Tag: Attitude

Listen To Your Gut: How Do You Feel When Your Leader Is Around Other People?

October 6, 2017By CiOIn General Leadership, To The BossesComments Off on Listen To Your Gut: How Do You Feel When Your Leader Is Around Other People?

Aside from what a leader does in the workplace or mission environment itself, what do you take away from how your leader carries him- or herself around other people?

Do you use those moments to pick up on certain attributes you admire, are indifferent toward, or could actually denounce?

In general, there seems to be an endless number of leadership lessons we can learn, each with a different understanding of what goes into effective leadership.

But leadership isn’t only learned in the classroom, in a book, or in a theory. It can in fact be taken on and refined in the real world as we witness the examples of leaders in action.

The theories of books and leadership programs – and blog posts — can only outline…

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How Does The Role You Play In Your Leader’s Audience Impact Your Effectiveness?

September 1, 2017By CiOIn Article, General LeadershipComments Off on How Does The Role You Play In Your Leader’s Audience Impact Your Effectiveness?

When it comes down to it, leadership isn’t about title but instead about making an impression, being invested, and wielding influence. Even the smallest of steps and actions of impression, investment, and influence can both make a difference and set the example for others.

One would be amazed how easy it is to influence people in a positive manner through example, demonstrating to others what is possible. One can shape the environment, even if just taking one small step at a time.

Much in the same way we can influence others through our examples, causing them to adjust their own actions and approach, the example can also be set with how leadership can be shaped.

Consider the current catch phrases one might hear nowadays — “managing up” or…

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Questioning Your Motivation: The Who? What? Where? When? Why?

August 28, 2017By CiOIn Article, General LeadershipComments Off on Questioning Your Motivation: The Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Leadership Lesson: A great way to motivate yourself forward is to regularly take a step back and outline the answers to understand what makes up your foundation.

Leadership can be effective when we understand our environment and everything in it. We see how things—people, processes, and all other stakeholders—intersect, and we can move accordingly to make sure everything is coming together as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.

But the effectiveness of leadership doesn’t start with the actions taken to influence all those moving pieces in the environment. The actions are what are seen and, hopefully, credited with instilling the environment with the right guidance to reach success. But, in leadership they are the ends, not the means.

Those leadership actions we carry out are derived from…

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What’s In Your Collection? General Leadership Lessons Can Transcend Across The Ages

July 9, 2017By CiOIn General Leadership, To The Bosses, To The Graduates, To The StudentsComments Off on What’s In Your Collection? General Leadership Lessons Can Transcend Across The Ages

True leadership ability has no face. It has no title. Leadership isn’t limited to the few, but possible by the masses. It can be practiced by anyone.

Leadership is not about demonstrating power but encouraging it. Through that encouragement, it sets the tone and example for one’s environment, partners, colleagues, and acquaintances. It’s about being able to make the most out of one’s surroundings, through that encouragement and other proactive steps.

Leadership is not just going along with the crowd due to what’s popular or simple, but instead seeking betterment and improvement for all in new ideas where and when available, necessary, and possibly risky.

Much like confidence, leadership is not a learned skill but a realization of an ability, followed by ongoing refinement. You could even call it an…

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What People Teach Us: Nancy Pelosi, Part II – Where Do You Focus Your Competitive Drive?

June 23, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on What People Teach Us: Nancy Pelosi, Part II – Where Do You Focus Your Competitive Drive?

It seems Nancy Pelosi will be competitive with anyone, including her own side.

The blog post “What People Teach Us: Nancy Pelosi, Part I” covers why she was in the spotlight recently with many people, including some in her own party, questioning her leadership. The basis for the swell of doubt was the loss the Democratic Party endured in the special election for a vacant seat in the House of Representatives in Georgia’s 6th congressional district.

The post goes through various reasons why a leader might not feel they should resign or step aside from their leadership position, even when dissension seems to be evidently growing among the rank-and-file.

An overly egregious reason on that list, which deserves its own post, is…

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Flip Flopping Isn’t The Problem, It’s How You Do It That Is

April 15, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on Flip Flopping Isn’t The Problem, It’s How You Do It That Is

The previous blog post How Long Do You Wait Before You Admit Something Isn’t Working Out? spoke about Flip Floppers, and about their right to change their minds, while making sure they don’t go about it in a reckless manner.

Specifically, the post notes, “It’s OK to change your mind. Just demonstrate why and what you learned.”

This still rings true, but as with anything else in life, moderation is key. You can only flip flop so many times and with such ease before your credibility suffers.

Usually, politicians are called out the most for jumping from side to side because they deal with issues that are extremely pertinent to public perception and, in some cases, an election. This week, the latest politician to do…

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What People Teach Us: Travis Kalanick — Temper vs. Leadership

March 1, 2017By CiOIn CiO Briefs, General LeadershipComments Off on What People Teach Us: Travis Kalanick — Temper vs. Leadership

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick posted a “Profound Apology” on the company’s website to atone for or, at least, begin atoning for his behavior in a video which surfaced of him berating an Uber driver, while he was a fare in the man’s car, who had challenged him on the company’s policies which purportedly cost the driver $97,000 in losses.

In the posted apology, Kalanick states “It’s clear this video is a reflection of me – and the criticism we’ve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I’ve been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.”

“…receiving leadership coaching…is no substitute for mental…

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7 “Presidential” Lessons: Trump Vs. the Mainstream Media

February 22, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on 7 “Presidential” Lessons: Trump Vs. the Mainstream Media

Weekly leadership and professional development lessons seem to be ripe for the taking in the era of the Trump Administration.

This past week, President Trump continued declaring his distrust of the media, hammering the mainstream outlets during his now-infamous first major press conference since assuming the Presidency.

During the presser, which he peppered with more unsubstantiated claims, Trump continued claiming how fake the media was, calling out outlets by name, and picking and choosing which questions he was going to answer by first asking people if their question was a hard one. In one instance, he even called on one reporter but then told the reporter to sit down as he felt the seemingly straightforward and innocuous question about whether or…

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What Do You Allow As “Free Speech?”: Milo vs. Maher

February 18, 2017By CiOIn In The MiddleComments Off on What Do You Allow As “Free Speech?”: Milo vs. Maher

Are you open to dialogue with a staunchly entrenched opponent or do you just ignore them?

Notoriously liberal comedian and political TV host Bill Maher sat down with alt-right poster boy Milo Yiannopoulis on the former’s HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher in a meeting of ideological extremes brought together by Maher’s push to get liberals to open up to that which they find, at best, uncomfortable and, at worst, ideologically reprehensible.

Overall, through the course of the show, Maher was more open to listening to Yiannopoulis’ ideas than the rest of his panel of guests, which tends to lean left the majority of the time.

Neither Maher nor Yiannopoulis is known to hold back in the respective political and societal realms they occupy. Yiannopoulis’ infamy…

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What People Teach Us: Bernie Sanders — Making The Case To Detractors

January 19, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on What People Teach Us: Bernie Sanders — Making The Case To Detractors

Politics aside, what can we learn from each other?

In this particular example, how do you try and convince someone of your position?

Do you do it in an abrasive manner — yelling, ridiculing, and denouncing the thoughts of that person you’re trying to convince — or do you take the time to calmly ask them what they need, to find out what their perception is and then provide points to either corroborate or question their assertions?

Communication is more about how we acknowledge, speak to, and respect each other more than it is about what our message actually is.

There’s a way to completely disagree with someone without being combative. Unfortunately, we rarely see this approach. We’re used to seeing people on…

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What People Teach Us: Trump — When You Assume Leadership, Who Do You Rally For?

January 15, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on What People Teach Us: Trump — When You Assume Leadership, Who Do You Rally For?

Leadership development and attainment is a powerful process. It is a never-ending effort and can go as long and as far as someone is willing to continue learning and developing themselves.

If we choose to ascend to higher levels of leadership, we need to recognize that the work does not end there. We need to do everything we can to move our mission and cause forward as effectively as possible, because regardless of what our individual goals might be, it is imperative that we focus the total group’s efforts forward.

If we actually attain that level of leadership, our basic responsibility is four-fold. First, we need to lead our group — all of the constituents of the group — as best as possible. Second, we need to…

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Samantha Bee vs. Glenn Beck: What Does It Take For You To Come Around?

January 4, 2017By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on Samantha Bee vs. Glenn Beck: What Does It Take For You To Come Around?

A face-to-face conversation between Samantha Bee and Glenn Beck. Think about that for a minute.

Beyond that, think of them putting aside their stark differences to come together to the same side.

Imagine these two people — a strong liberal and staunch conservative — coming together, joining forces, to confront a common enemy. Check it out here.

How does this happen? What has to happen for these usual staunch opponents to come together for a common cause? What does it take for one to stop pushing one’s message long enough to see the other side of an argument?

It took them a while to get to that point. There’s no guarantee that it will stay this way, but they found their way to this agreement.

“…aside from thinking…

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What People Teach Us: Carrie Fisher — Learn From And Accept Lessons From Your Past

December 29, 2016By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on What People Teach Us: Carrie Fisher — Learn From And Accept Lessons From Your Past

Carrie Fisher’s uncompromising, unrelenting and defiant attitude, which was the core of her role as Princess Leia, a role she took on at the age of 19 in the Star Wars films, was mirrored in the later years of her life before she died at age 60.

Even though there was plenty of heartbreak and turmoil in her life, there was so much more she gave to people through her attitude with regard to her own vulnerabilities and shortcomings.

She was born to celebrity parents but made a name for herself, finding success in her own right in the Start Wars movies and other subsequent projects including more movies, theater, and writing. Unfortunately, her life kept taking turns, leading her to experience, and later speak up about…

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To Move Forward, Answer This: Are You Taking The Proactive or Reactive Path In Life?

August 28, 2016By CiOIn General LeadershipComments Off on To Move Forward, Answer This: Are You Taking The Proactive or Reactive Path In Life?

Leadership Lesson: It’s a mistake to only live and work in reactive mode to everything around us, when we should be working to prepare as best as possible to navigate our environments.

Leadership is about taking in and utilizing the resources around you, whether it is for a cause or mission greater than yourself, or for your own development.

The tools you need are there for the taking. It’s a matter of realizing it, identifying them, and reaching out to combine the internal knowledge you hold and carry with those external tools that are at your disposal.

No one can take that first step but you. No one can force you. Being forced into it in one way or another does not create value. True…

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What People Teach Us: How Trump and Solo Lose (Even More) Face When Losing

August 15, 2016By CiOIn CiO BriefsComments Off on What People Teach Us: How Trump and Solo Lose (Even More) Face When Losing

Lessons in leadership, character and integrity are everywhere. Keep an eye out for them.

We can learn from the good and positive, as well as the bad and negative. We can learn from others’ examples in order to learn both what to do and what to avoid.

We need look no further than Donald Trump and Hope Solo to see how someone’s character sours their own appeal, perception and message to worldwide audiences (even more). Trump has been known to name-call and disrespect anyone who’s ever disagreed with him and Solo is known for being the caustic puzzle piece on the U.S. Women’s Soccer team.

But lately, their words are picking up steam — his while his losing margin grows in the polls against…

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