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By:
Ken Byler, Guest Blogger, Higher Ground Consulting Group, LLC December 20, 2016
It’s the time of year when many of us experience joy, an emotion that seems synonymous with the holiday season. The dictionary describes joy as “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune by the prospect of possessing what one desires.”
Our consumer driven society has convinced many of us that the latest toy, electronic gadget, or clothing style will bring the joy we long for. Organizational leaders may wish for a coveted promotion, a hefty bonus, or the corner office instead. Yet I doubt if acquiring more stuff will really add joy to our lives.
By:
Ken Byler, Guest Blogger, Higher Ground Consulting Group, LLC July 22, 2016
Is there a conversation you are anxious about having or maybe even delaying? Perhaps it’s because the issue is sensitive, requires giving or receiving negative constructive feedback, or includes asking someone for help. Maybe the conversation evokes emotion, like anger or frustration. It might involve how you feel about yourself or how others see you. By definition, these are difficult conversations and most of us struggle to know how we should approach them.
Navigating a difficult conversation begins with a shift in our mindset. We typically think we know what happened and want the other person to agree with us…
For many of us April signals the beginning of another professional baseball season. What makes these teams successful isn’t just raw talent or payroll size (although these factors may contribute), it is often the intangibles – coaching, fundamentals, and clubhouse chemistry that matter most.
Workplace teams often include talented, smart, and successful individuals who simply don’t function effectively together. While the topic of healthy teams requires more space than a brief blog post, one key factor that every healthy team seems to master is how well they treat each other. The…
“Appreciative words are the most powerful force for good on earth.” – George W. Crane
The workplace statistics are disheartening. According to a recent study by Accenture, “lack of recognition” is one of the top five reasons people leave their jobs. Praise is so rare in many workplaces that 65 percent in one survey said they had received no recognition within the past year.
These facts suggest that many leaders are failing to fulfill the basic human need to feel valued. Gallup research has…
By:
Ken Byler, Guest Blogger, Higher Ground Consulting Group, LLC September 10, 2015
In most parts of the country, students recently headed back to school. Homework plays an important role in our education system. Leaders, however, don’t always appreciate its importance so that is why I have chosen homework as my blog post topic.
I’m consistently surprised by how many leaders and teams that I work with don’t have clearly defined goals for themselves and the work they are doing on behalf of the organization. Perhaps I shouldn’t be since goal setting requires analysis and preparation, something many leaders prefer to avoid in their rush to get things done.
For a number of years Verizon Wireless effectively built a case for their brand’s cellular network reliability by placing a non-descript actor wearing the company uniform in dozens of unusual and remote locations where his single question, “Can you hear me now?” was always met with an affirmative response.
Consumers came to trust his claims and Verizon surely benefitted from this unique marketing message.
In the context of leadership, this same question illustrates an important disconnect between what…
