“Truly empathic leaders can even listen to what is being said in the silence” Recognising, empathising with and showing compassion to those experiencing pain sets some leaders apart from others. Being aware of the feelings of others and how their situation affects their perceptions, these empathic leaders are willing and able to appreciate what others…
Being in a leadership position is not for the faint-hearted – effective leadership requires a high level of emotional intelligence and a comprehensive understanding of one’s personal value and contribution ability. Typically, leaders get to occupy their respective management positions due to one or more of the following reasons: Subject matter experts – they know…
“… the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” (James 3: 5) Although the weight of the human tongue is only about 60 – 70 grams, its potential for evil is so great that it has…
Citizens in so many countries are frustrated and even angry. Sometimes, and in reasonably good faith, these people have gone to election polls to vote on progressive policy which hopefully address issues of inequality and greed in the past. They put their faith in the said good intentions of party leaders, only to be disillusioned…
So many managers seem to switch off the possibility of perceptual internal data-roaming when they arrive at the office. Oh yes, they allow incoming calls from clients, digest information at meetings and give people instructions, but fail to permit their internal “data cards” to pick up and receive important company culture, behavioural or relational employee…
“Life is the most difficult examination. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realising that everyone has a different question paper” (Anon) I have seen many copies and photographs of famous artists’ works during my life, but nothing compared to standing in front of an authentic Michelangelo or Rembrandt piece in the…
An iceberg is mostly submerged – water is less dense in its solid form than as a liquid. In fact, about six-sevenths of an iceberg is under the water level, with only one-seventh above the surface. It is similarly true of many presenting statements – what you initially hear as a manager may or may…
“I look for three things in hiring people. The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence and the third is a high energy level. But, if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you” (Warren Buffett, CEO, Berkshire Hathaway) A person who behaves in a dishonest or deceptive way, either as…
Business leaders are being stretched – having to make tough choices and subsequent changes for improvement, or even survival, in difficult financial times. These changes affect people, structure, processes, tasks and systems, so effective communication becomes essential during the whole change process (pre-implementation, during implementation and post-implementation). There is a big difference, however, between communication…
“Nothing kills ‘one team one goal’ thinking like silos” (John G Miller, author of QBQ: The Question Behind the Question) A CEO of a large business recently shared some of his frustrations with me – he complained that he needed to mediate conflict frequently between his senior managers and asked: “Why do people responsible for…
Millennials, those born after 1980 and before 2000 and representing well over 35% of the world’s population, are a largely talented and versatile group. For many companies with rigid structures and systems, this generation can be incredibly frustrating, illusive and highly challenging. In terms of employing millennials, the best are hard to find and even…
I’ve been a consultant to a couple of organisations where it’s hard to get to the truth: the facts about a situation, an opportunity or a problem that they are facing. They tell you what they require and their expected outcomes, but don’t really divulge the apparent complexities of the presenting issues – people problems,…
