“I’m going to be a professional listener,” said a participant at our workshop for the Better Business Bureau this past week. That was his biggest takeaway from the session; Steph and I were giddy about his goal. We all aim to be great listeners, but how well do we really do that? Here are some practical tips that you can use with every employee interaction summarized from Scott J. Miller's new book, Management Mess to Leadership Success. 1. Slow down. When you’re managing pe

Do you want your employees to care as much as you do? Start with treating them how you would want to be treated! Start valuing their ideas and giving them purpose. Make sure your employees feel heard and part of the team and not just another notch in the machine. Start valuing their ideas with these simple tips: Listen to their reasoning behind why they did something Before criticizing, ask questions in a positive way Encourage contributions by seeking solutions to problems F

“I’m a leader now. I’m in charge of helping my employees, giving advice, having all of the answers and I don’t want to ever appear to be weak.” If you’re saying these things to yourself as a new leader, we challenge you to seek the real truth that great leaders understand. Myth #1: I don’t want to seem incompetent Truth: By asking for help, you're becoming a role model for your team. You’re showing an example of help-seeking behavior that sets up a more open culture. You're s

“Neuroscience research shows that when people’s dignity is violated, it actually shows up in the brain in the same area as a physical wound…this isn’t just some touchy-feely of how we’ve got to be nice to people,” stated Dr. Donna Hicks, author of Leading with Dignity. We speak with our clients about values related to dignity and how this value impacts the success of their businesses. So how do you make sure that you and other leaders in your organization are treating your em