Tag: Listening
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LEADERSHIP IS ‘WRITING ON A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER’
Several years ago, I had the honor of interviewing Millard Fuller on the topic of leadership and listening. Millard founded Habitat for Humanity International in 1976 and served in executive roles until 2005. Through his stellar leadership, Habitat grew into a worldwide Christian housing ministry and in 1996, former U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded Fuller…
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WHICH VOICE DO YOU CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO?
A powerful old story captures the importance of the messages that we listen to inside of our heads. An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life: “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.” It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he…
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LISTEN LIKE MR. ROGERS
On March 20, we celebrate TV personality and Rollins College Alum Mr. Fred Rogers who would have been 86 years old. He passed away in 2003. Fred Rogers dedicated his life to serving children. His relentless commitment to all that is best in people led to an astonishing array of honors, from induction into the…
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LISTENING LEADERS TAKE NOTES
A fundamental tool for listening leaders is taking notes. Although you may periodically take notes when you are on the phone or in meetings, the majority of leaders normally do not take written notes. The following 6 suggestions are designed to help you improve your note-taking ability: 1. Be prepared and decide whether or…
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GET ON THE BALCONY
Do you spend most of your time in the ‘DOING’ of life? If so, you are most likely not realizing your fullest capacity. Consider the importance of GETTING ON THE BALCONY periodically to check out what is happening. This is all about having a clear perspective in the midst of the action. Here are 4…
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NO BEAT, NO RHYTHM, NO CONSISTENCY
In the film Mr. Holland’s Opus, music teacher Mr. Holland worked relentlessly in helping student Lou Russ, the state wrestling champion, to find the beat on the bass drum so that he would be able to pass the band course. No beat, no pass…. it’s as simple as that. Eventually, Lou found the beat and,…
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HELP OTHERS GET OFF THEIR MERRY-GO-ROUND
Have you ever had someone tell you the same thing repeatedly and you wonder why they are repeating themselves? This is called ‘being on the Merry-Go-Round’. Why do they do this? There are many reasons including: They don’t think you are listening to them and want to be sure they are making their point They…
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NEVER PUT YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH AGAIN
How many times have you ‘put your foot in your mouth’ and you dearly felt the costs? Some people try to justify it by saying that their mouth is operating faster than their brain. The fact is, this dis-ease can devastate relationships. Here are 5 sure-fire solutions to help you never put your foot in…
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DON’T THROW THE CHANGE IN THE BASKET TOO QUICKLY
Many people try to do too many things at one time and then become impatient and try to shorten the listening process. It’s like trying to throw change into a tollbooth basket and get out of there too quickly. It doesn’t work. The bell goes off and you’ve made a mistake and gained nothing in…
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DON’T FILL THE SILENCE VACUUM
Ron Heifetz, Senior Lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, is one of the foremost authorities on leadership. I had the privilege of learning with Ron several years ago and can personally attest to the unconventional approach he uses to teach leadership. In a Fast Company interview years ago he stated that “most leaders die…