Are Top Leaders Exempt from Using Crucial Conversations Skills?

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By: Joseph Grenny | Dear Joseph, Your book, Crucial Conversations, suggests that we are more effective if we express ourselves “tentatively” and encourage others to challenge our views. But many leaders (Jack Welch, Donald Trump, etc.) are the opposite—forceful and even dogmatic. And yet, they are very successful. I can’t remember either of these men speaking “tentatively” or encouraging others to share their divergent views. So do crucial conversation skills only work in some cases? Why d...
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How Goal-Setting Helps You Reach Your Goals

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By: Life Coach Spotter | Many of us labor under the misapprehension that simply doing our best is enough in life, and that a formal goal setting process is unnecessary. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, just doing your best really isn’t enough. Why? The answer lies primarily in the role of the subconscious, as well as the questions of purpose and motivation. The Role of the Subconscious The subconscious plays a strong role in the goal setting and achievement process. As you see yourse...
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Don’t Let Your Business Plan Gather Dust

By: Barry Moltz If you’ve only ever used your business plan to raise money, you may be leaving a powerful leadership and growth tool in the drawer. A business plan isn't just something to show bankers or investors. Instead, consider reviewing these documents at least once a year in order to measure your company against your stated goals, learn from the results and shift directions when necessary. Consider putting these eight sections in every plan, and reviewing them quarterly, or a...
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Learn to Be a Conciliator

Conciliators make the world go around. Or at least function more smoothly. Conciliators have the ability to get people to get along with one another not merely as compromisers but as collaborators. Conciliation also works when things are broken. Then they become those who can reconcile aggrieved parties. “The main object of conciliation,” said Confucius, “lies in reaching a solution to a case based upon morals and with a warm heart.” Morality underscores the principle to getting people to ...
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Leaders, Give Yourself This Mirror Test

We hope that you find this article from one of America's most revered leaders as useful as we did. Please leave a comment if you are so inclined...  Jack Welch - Influencer Executive Chairman, The Jack Welch Management Institute What’s the number one quality a leader, at any level, can’t live without? Intelligence? Charisma? The ability to see around corners? The possible answers are myriad. But above all, I would argue, in good times, and especially in bad, it’s positive ener...
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The Power of the “AND” Philosophy

Guy Kawasaki: Influencer -- Chief evangelist, Canva ~ Like many entrepreneurs, Daniel Lubetzky’s path has been a series of ups and downs that alternately made him deliriously excited and desperately worried. Lubetzky is the CEO of KIND, founder of PeaceWorks and OneVoice, cofounder of the apparel company Maiyet, and author of the New York Times bestseller Do the KIND Thing. According to Lubetzky, people often let circumstances force them into choosing between two seemingly incompatible opt...
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8 Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs

There are entrepreneurs who are extremely successful and everything they touch seems to turn to gold, and there are some that do not see as much success. What are the deciding factors that separate those that crank home run after home run and those that struggle at the plate? While the majority of entrepreneurs have no problem working hard, not all work smart and possess the following entrepreneurial qualities responsible for driving success. 1. No fear of delegating tasks. As entr...
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Why Self-Improvement Begins with Self-Reflection

By: Daniel Goleman, Influencer ~ Author of: What Makes a Leader: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters. When people feel a need to transition into a new phase in their lives, they often think the shift needs to be external: new job, new house, new relationship. While those changes are often warranted, I recommend taking stock of your inner world to help guide your decisions. You may discover that you don’t need to change jobs; you just want to move to a different division. Or you would prefer do...
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8 Ways Your Business Is Hemorrhaging Money

By: Jason Brick, Writer and Public Speaker, Freelance ~ Stop your business from bleeding cash by watching for these 8 signs and administering first aid to your finances as soon as possible. February 20, 2014 ~ The profit equation has two sides: Money coming in and money going out. If you're like most small-business owners, you have your eye firmly on the "cash in" ball, but pay less attention to where that cash goes after the sale. As we work our way through the first quarter, it's a gre...
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Mind Mapping: 5 Ways a Visual Plan Can Energize Your Business

If brainstorming or business planning has become  uninspiring, try mind mapping to help stimulate creativity... Small-business owners thrive on ideas and plans. Didn't your business start as an idea? And didn't you create a business plan to help you launch that new idea? Now that your business is up and running, your plate is likely overflowing with daily tasks and responsibilities — with no room for planning out how new ideas can best fit into your business. One valuable visualizatio...
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