Precision Leader Development

Young worker feels offended frustrated during meeting at work

Envy Keeps Us From Being the Best We Can Be

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Writing my book The Calling: Why Healthcare Is So Special was a journey. The original concept of the book was that leadership is an inside job. This means that the better our “insides” (emotions and thoughts) are working, the better the external outcomes will be. I presented the talk “Leadership Is an Inside Job” at a large leadership session for TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 6, 2019. Afterward, TriHealth President/CEO Mark Clement was very complimentary about…
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Corporate staff gathered together listening

Staying On the High Ground Is Hard, But It’s Always the Right Choice.

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At one time, I probably thought the phrase “high ground” meant only a land mass. Today I understand the words much differently in relationships with people. “Stay on the high ground” is advice I received when I was involved in a difficult situation. I have not always listened to that advice. At one time, instead of staying on the high ground, my tendency was to look for faults in others. Instead of lifting myself up,…
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Business speaker giving a talk in conference hall.

Organizational Trust Is Down. Here’s How to Change That.

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Having people trust leadership is a goal of every organization. It is something people devote lots of work and resources to. So, with all of the effort being put into building trust in an organization, why are the results less than what most leaders want? Trust, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” My experience is that it helps to ask those…
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Diverse Multiethnic Business people

Great Things Happen When We Focus on the Goal, Not the Barriers

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Do you focus on the goal or on the barriers to the goal? When asked this question, most people will answer that they focus on the goal. I know I would have answered it that way—until I had an experience that changed my perception of myself. I spend time with people in leadership roles. I describe some of them as very high performing. This is based on the measurable outcomes that are produced by them…
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Two diverse serious businesswomen talking working

Four Common Phrases That May Send the Wrong Message

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I share “boots on the ground” observations. This week’s column is about some phrases that may seem harmless on the surface, but that may send a message we’re not aware we are sending. A person who read my new book Sundays with Quint, which is a collection of some of my leadership columns, recently reached out. She shared how helpful the book is to her and asked where the content comes from. My first response was “thank…
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Copper cable wire used in electrical installation

Is It Time to Rewire What Was Once Hardwired?

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When he returned to lead Apple, the late Steve Jobs shared with employees that the goal was to make much of what they do obsolete—not the mission of Apple, but the tools and techniques. His belief was that each person and every organization benefits by always being in the mode of continuous improvement. Twenty years ago, I wrote the book Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference. The Wiktionary dictionary defines hardwire this way: “to connect components…
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Business Signing a Contract Buy - sell house.

The Power of Admitting Your Mistakes

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“I was wrong.” “I am wrong.” “I may be wrong.” How easily these words come to a person and how willing they are to say them can be the difference between success and failure. They can be the difference between creating or reducing trust and building or destroying a relationship. They can be the difference between growing a business or losing a business. They can be the difference between saving lives or losing lives. I…
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Business people talking in meeting

Be a Great Receiver of Complaints (Even Those That Seem Unreasonable)

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How do you manage less-than-positive feedback? This is an area I need ongoing work in. A person sent a long story to me in which he shared his frustration regarding how he was treated by someone in an organization he was dealing with. He did not send this story so I would contact the organization, but to vent and get my opinion. I know the top person in the organization he is frustrated with. When I…
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Doctor and nurse discussing patient case at hospital

Want More Autonomy? Focus on Achieving Goals.

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In the dictionary, the definition of autonomy is most often based on the core notion of self-government or self-determination. My experience in working with many organizations is that many equate autonomy with being trusted. It is often seen as the opposite of micromanagement. When a person in leadership is asked how they feel about working for someone, it may be viewed as a positive statement if they say, “I like it, they leave me alone.”…
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Confident African male leader telling

Great Leaders Don’t Dwell on Problems. They Quickly Move to Solutions.

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One does not have to look very far to find articles on the problems organizations are facing. Financial challenges. Staffing shortages. Lack of supplies. Burnout. Communication shortfalls. These are all valid issues. Good leaders identify the problems; the best leaders do that and find solutions. A culture of solutions must be cultivated. A good place to start is when a person brings you a problem, ask the question, What do you recommend?  It matures the workplace. When…
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