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Leaders Need to Walk the Halls

Visiting Employees in the Field

#69 Walk the Halls

Howard Behar, the secret weapon of Starbucks, tells leaders to “walk the halls.” Howard, former President of Starbucks North America and Starbucks International, played an instrumental role in growing Starbucks then came out of retirement to help turn Starbucks around when it went off course. “Walk the Halls” is similar to “Management by Wandering Around,” or “MBWA,” a term coined by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in their book In Search of Excellence. Walking the Halls is all about getting out of your office, getting to know the people you are responsible for leading and listening to them.

This is the sixty-ninth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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Advice to Taylor Swift on Sustaining Success

Taylor Swift

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia User MyCanon

Taylor Swift has successfully managed living in the frying pan of fame for nearly a decade now. That is a difficult thing to do, especially for singers who come on the scene in their teenage years (ahem, Britney, Miley and Justin). Personally, I think she may become the Queen of Media who reigns for decades, akin to the first Queen Elizabeth who ascended to the throne of England at 25 and ruled England for more than 40 years during its Golden Age and was beloved by many.

Because I advise leaders, I took a moment to imagine what it would be like to advise Ms. Swift about maintaining her realm, just as the faithful and wise William Cecil, Lord Burghley advised Queen Elizabeth I.

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What Corporate Culture is Best for Change?

FCB Has a Culture Suited for Change

Photo Courtesy of FCB

Consider this: few of the 500 largest corporations from 50 years ago exist today. They failed to change and became irrelevant, left behind by emerging competitors more in tune with the market.

How is it possible that so many top companies made this same fatal mistake? The answer may lie in a very simple explanation. Humans run corporations, and humans have a biological aversion to change.

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To Connect, Favor Inclusiveness

Inclusiveness in Business Meeting

#68 Favor Inclusiveness

When you are setting up a meeting, lean toward inclusiveness.  If there is someone who you believe may want to attend, invite him/her. You might send a brief note to that person indicating that you understand if other commitments take precedence over the meeting but want to keep him/her “in the loop.” Doing so is a great way to make the person feel valued.

This is the sixty-eighth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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What Marcus Mariota Teaches Us About Success

Marcus_Mariota_v._Colorado_2014

Marcus Mariota throws a pass while playing against Colorado in 2014. Photo courtesy of Alex Thies.

Marcus Mariota’s list of accomplishments is impressive. Although his Oregon Ducks football team ultimately lost the national championship game to Ohio State, the young quarterback can still claim a Heisman Trophy, Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl victories, and numerous other awards earned in just a few short years. His success as a quarterback places him in an elite group of individuals who have reached the pinnacle of their fields.

But how do people like Mariota become so successful? Are there certain characteristics these people share that set them apart?

I look forward to discussing the building blocks of a Connection Culture and how this type of culture provides a competitive advantage at the Organization Development Network of New York (ODNNY) meeting on January 21.

Date: January 21, 2015
Time: 06:00-08:00 p.m.
Event: Building Strategic Advantage Through Organizational Culture
Sponsor: The Organization Development Network of New York (ODNNY)
Venue: The Graduate Center, Rm 9206
Location: 365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Public: Public
Registration: Click here to register.
More Info: Click here for more information.

To consider me for your speaking event, click here.

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Connect With Your Body Language

Business person connecting through body language while listening

#67 Connect With Your Body Language

When interacting with others, be sure that your body language is connecting with them by being still, making eye contact while looking away at times so as not to glare or communicate too much intensity, relaxing your facial muscles, uncrossing your arms and leaning slightly forward.

This is the sixty-seventh post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

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The Secret to Keeping Your New Year’s Health Resolution

Keeping New Year Resolutions_Woman Tired After Excercising

By Michael Lee Stallard and Katie Russell

Are you working on a New Year’s resolution to be healthier? ‘Tis the season for diets, gym memberships, and locating the running shoes that somehow got buried under a pile of other items in the deepest recesses of your closet (we won’t judge).

We all know the odds. Approximately 8 percent of New Year’s resolutions are actually kept, according to research from the University of Scranton. Yet somehow, year after year, we hope that our resolution will defy the odds and be one of those 8 percent.

Obviously, preparation is essential. You will find it hard to stick to your new diet if you haven’t prepared by filling your pantry with the right type of food. But even those who prepare often find themselves on the verge of giving up.

So what’s the secret to success? How do those who achieve their goals keep going, even when they feel like giving up?

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How to Reconnect Your Team

Business Team Discussion to Reconnect Team

#66 Reconnect Your Team

On a monthly basis at the beginning of a meeting, ask your direct reports to share something on their mind. It can be anything they care to share with the team such as something they did outside of work that other team members might be interested in or something that’s going on at work that they want the team to know about. Give each person five minutes to share.

This is the sixty-sixth post in our series entitled “100 Ways to Connect.” The series highlights language, attitudes and behaviors that help you connect with others. Although the language, attitudes and behaviors focus on application in the workplace, you will see that they also apply to your relationships at home and in the community.

I look forward to sharing insights on how to transform managers into leaders during this ATD webcast on January 27, 2015.

Date: January 27, 2015
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Event: Association for Talent Development (ATD) Webcast
Topic: Transforming Managers Into Leaders
Sponsor: Association for Talent Development (ATD)
Public: Public
Registration: Click here to register.
More Info: Click here for more information.

To consider me for your speaking event, click here.