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12 days ago
John Baldoni is a leadership consultant, coach, and speaker. He writes the "Leadership at Work" column for HarvardBusiness.org, and his most recent book is Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up. It is a leader's responsibility to provide direction. But sometimes leaders need to take direction. Case in point is the advice campaign manager David Plouffe gave to candidate Barack Obama during his senatorial campaign in 2004. "You just have to let go and trust" your people, Plouffe told Obama, as he recounts in his new book. To his credit, the candidate did learn to let go and allow others to manage the campaign while he focused on being the candidate.
20 days ago
Carmine Gallo is a communication coach, speaker and author, most recently, of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is considered one of the greatest corporate storytellers on the world stage. Jobs inspires intense loyalty and also scares the heck out of his people. But there is no question he has transformed the typical dull, plodding, technical presentation into a theatrical experience. Here are 7 techniques that Jobs has learned about inspiring his audience; tips that you can use to wow your employees, customers, investors, or anyone else you need to motivate.
32 days ago
Carol Kinsey Goman is an executive coach, author and keynote speaker who addresses association, government, and business audiences around the world. Her latest book and program topic is The Nonverbal Advantage: Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work. If you're a leader who thinks that technology offers a screen to hide behind, think again. The visual technology revolution is making body language more important than ever. Soon you will be interacting face-to-face with even greater frequency, even if those interactions are mediated by a screen. Leaders will need to master these new technologies to communicate effectively with their followers, employees, customers and clients. Here are five new advances in technology and research that show how non-verbal cues will remain as significant -- if not more significant -- in our digital future.
61 days ago
It's hard to keep up with the latest leadership books. Of the many that cross my desk, here are two that have caught my attention this fall. Seven Lessons for Leading in Crisis, by Bill George (Aug. 2009) This short book from Harvard B-school prof and former Medtronic CEO Bill George functions like a pocket-sized handbook version of his popular book, True North. If you know a leader dealing with a crisis -- and who isn't right now? -- this might be a good book to slip in their briefcase. Its seven principles -- face reality, ask for help, find the root cause, focus on the long term, take advantage of change, lead with integrity and go on the offense -- provide immediate direction and focus.
110 days ago
Francie Dalton, CMC, is president of Dalton Alliances, Inc., a Maryland-based business consultancy specializing in the communication, management, and behavioral sciences. She is the author, most recently, of "Versatility: How to Optimize Interactions When 7 Workplace Behaviors Are at Their Worst." Leaders are reeling these days. They've been alone on the hot seat for months -- making gut wrenching decisions, withstanding white-hot criticism, and managing politically charged, increasingly unreasonable stakeholder expectations. Below are four of the toughest, most complex challenges leaders are facing today, along with advice on how to handle them. 1. Implementing Lay-Offs Restructuring is a gut-wrenching task and is among the most dreaded responsibilities of a leader. It is possible, however, to bring some level-headed process to this emotionally charged task. First, rank your priorities. Identify essential outcomes -- outputs that your company or your customers cannot live ...
