This is a short book that covers a lot of ground. Basically, Jeremy Kingsley has tried to encapsulate for us what makes leaders great, and how they get people to follow them. They do this by being inspiring them. He lays out the characteristics of how inspiration works and how it moves [...]
Tag Archives: communication
Saying “No” in 6 easy steps
“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” Tony Blair Sometimes we have a hard time telling others “No.” Unfortunately, leaving it unsaid can become very costly for you. You lose time to do the things you really want, or need, to do. And you may [...]
8 Easy ways to converse better
There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation. James Nathan Miller Knowing how to make lively conversation will enrich your personal and professional life. Oral communication plays an important role in how we learn about each other [...]
Improve your communication
Blarney Stone Have you ever been to Ireland? One of the touristy things they try to get you to do is kiss the Blarney Stone. The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland, where it is believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift [...]
Know Your Stress, and Defeat It
Stress is like an iceberg. We can see one-eighth of it above, but what about what’s below? Unknown Avoiding Stress My 18 month old granddaughter has a new favorite expression. “Oh, maaaaan!” Which I can only guess means that things aren’t going as planned or expected in her little life. We each have [...]
8 Simple Ways to Be a Better Friend
The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be a friend. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Relationships We have been talking about relationships for the past few weeks. I don’t know about you guys, but I have had many acquaintances in my life, but relatively few that [...]
Respond in Kind
He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know. Lao Tzu Communication 101 We have been talking about communication. We now come to the “final” step in good communication. You have opened your mind, heart and senses to really observe the person speaking with you. You have helped them finish their [...]
Seek Clarity
Fully alert We have demonstrated that we can be fully engaged with another person. We are totally attentive to what is being said to us. We are checking out their body language, and paying attention to any messages we don’t mean to send. Fully engaged We have helped them get to the end of the [...]
Use Your Words
“He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.” Lao Tzu Start by “Sensing” the conversation In the last post we started talking about the art of listening actively and authentically. The first step is to become empathic and attentive. Turn off all distractions that you can, turn on your mind, [...]
Just Look
Distraction and Multitasking We live in a very distracted age. We multi-task without giving much thought to it. Until recently, if you asked any of my friends what I was doing at home in the evening, they would have said- sitting in front of her computer working on something for class or the blog, [...]
Men in Black, Leadership and the Garden of Eden: Taking Responsibility
We all want to be the “best of the best of the best.” (“GIJoe” and Agent J, “Men in Black”). Everybody wants to know how to stand out as leaders, and rightfully so. Your life is complex, and there are many areas in which you are responsible for leading “your”people. And, you are [...]
Martina G. McGowan
