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Leadership Skill Building

Pointing Out Problems Is Good; Bringing Solutions Is Great

Pointing Out Problems Is Good; Bringing Solutions Is Great

Quint Studer
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Some time back, I wrote, “When a person identifies a problem, they have a human responsibility to also help with a solution.” Are there times when it’s enough to only point out a problem? Yes. One example is when you see a situation that could be dangerous. I was at a baseball game a few weeks back, and as I walked past an area, I thought I smelled propane gas. I quickly found someone who…
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Let’s Recognize Those Who Make Up Our Coaching Tree

Let’s Recognize Those Who Make Up Our Coaching Tree

Quint Studer
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As school starts back, we often think about teachers and all the lives they touch. In a presentation at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, I showed photos of myself in third grade at Congress Park Elementary School in Brookfield, Illinois, and on the Lyons Township High School soccer team in La Grange, Illinois. I pointed out my third-grade teacher, Miss James, and my soccer coach, Coach King, and shared the impact they and other teachers…
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Building trust isn’t just the leader’s job

Building trust isn’t just the leader’s job

Quint Studer
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We know good leader communication is a powerful trust builder. A point that sometimes gets missed is that, just like trust, communication is a two-way street. Recently we looked at what leaders can do to improve their odds of being heard …. but what can the employees do to make sure they hear and act on those messages? A few tips: Meet with employees and ask: “What does good communication look like?” Go around the room and…
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Don’t Be Afraid to Tell on Yourself

Don’t Be Afraid to Tell on Yourself

Quint Studer
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I was sitting in a meeting with people in recovery from alcoholism, and a lady shared that she was new to sobriety and was struggling with wanting to drink. She laid out how she felt in an open way. A bit later, a person with over 35 years in recovery shared that since the death of his son, he has become very cynical about life and recovery. He said that he is making a recommitment…
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Addressing Performance Issues Is a Crucial Skill for Leaders

Addressing Performance Issues Is a Crucial Skill for Leaders

Quint Studer
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When I am asked to present to a group, I ask the organization to survey the attendees to find out what they are looking to leave with from the session. The topics mentioned quite often are how to manage change, communication, building trust, improving staff retention, achieving excellent customer service, and the most requested item is how to address performance issues. For this column, we will dig into the last one, performance situations. The most common…
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How to Help Leaders Accurately Assess Their Own Performance

How to Help Leaders Accurately Assess Their Own Performance

Quint Studer
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Do people in leadership rate themselves higher in ability than their results demonstrate? The answer is dependent on the individual; however, my experience is the general answer is yes.  I like objective measurement. Though we are not able to directly measure some items, measurement should help people see what they do well and identify areas that may need improvement. It is not easy to be a leader. With good skill development, they can learn to do…
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How to Lean Into Feedback We Didn’t Want to Hear

How to Lean Into Feedback We Didn’t Want to Hear

Quint Studer
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There are productive ways to provide feedback and productive ways to receive it. In talking to many people, I hear the message that they want feedback. Do they? It seems most of the time people like feedback if it is positive. This makes sense: critical feedback can be uncomfortable to hear. While it is never easy getting feedback that is not what we want, the better we learn to handle the information the more likely we…
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Do Not Quit Till the Miracle Happens

Do Not Quit Till the Miracle Happens

Quint Studer
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It’s a statement referenced often in the mental health world: Do not quit till the miracle happens. The meaning behind it is to keep going even when things are tough. Please do not take this so literally you think it means staying in an unhealthy situation. What it does mean is that if you are taking positive actions, at times the outcome may take a while to achieve. I have a front row seat to miracles. These…
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Gaining Self-Awareness Means Having the Courage to Hear the Truth

Gaining Self-Awareness Means Having the Courage to Hear the Truth

Quint Studer
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Sharing can be a good thing—almost a magical thing. It often leads to an increase in self-awareness. In this column, we will focus on what happens when you share with someone you trust, who cares enough to provide you with objective feedback. The tape one plays in their head may not be accurate. Just the process of saying something aloud can be helpful. I am so fortunate to spend time with many people, both in…
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The Ability to Present Is a Must-Have for Leaders

The Ability to Present Is a Must-Have for Leaders

Quint Studer
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Serving in a leadership role, whether formal or informal, is a fantastic opportunity to be helpful and make a difference. Being in leadership means that others recognize an individual’s ability. While I spend most of my time with people in formal leadership roles, my community work means I also interact with people who are informal leaders. I work with community volunteers who serve in a variety of community roles. Often these are nonpaid committee roles.…
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