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Fix Broken Meetings Before They Begin

2/28/2023

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“Meetings are stuck in the Stone Age,” writes Rebecca Hinds, organizational physician and entrepreneur, noting that most executives view them as inefficient and unproductive.

At her Work Innovation Lab, Hinds and research colleagues wanted to understand whether we could predict bad meetings before they even started.  Based on their research, they identified three anticipatory questions that you can ask to assess whether a meeting could become dysfunctional:
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  1. Does your meeting have more than one purpose with different values for participants?  Having multiple purposes isn’t inherently bad, but if these purposes are unclear, or lack value to all attendees, that could be a red flag.
  2. Does your meeting have a problem-solving component? When we are faced with a meaningful, challenging, yet solvable, problem, it can trigger a new level of focus and a state of “flow.” And flow states are a key predictor of job satisfaction and productivity.
  3. Is there a strategy for after the meeting? Attendees should leave with a clear understanding of what’s next. Spend the last five minutes of the meeting outlining next steps and then Implement follow-up strategies.

​By asking these questions, says Hinds, you can head off bad meetings and reclaim control of your calendar. 

Looking at your calendar, can you spot any meetings that might be problematic? How might these 3 questions offer a more effective path forward? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
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Learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication with our online learning courses awarded International Gold for Best Hybrid Learning of 2022. 


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A Dose of Humor Helps At Work

2/21/2023

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Research suggests that humor helps us build stronger bonds with each other, with links to greater satisfaction in the workplace. And although there may be times when spirited joke telling strikes the wrong note, a does of levity can be helpful in many situations. “Levity is a mind-set,” says Naomi Bagdonas, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, who advises executives on leading with humor and humanity. “It’s looking for reasons to be delighted rather than disappointed in the world around you.” 

Like any other skill, a sense of levity can be cultivated. Writing in The New York Times, Carolyn Todd offers suggestions from experts:
  • Look for things that are just the tiniest bit amusing. Try noticing what’s true, and a little bit “off.” Sensitizing yourself to these moments primes you to savor them.
  • Create a levity diary.  Find time to record your amusing experiences.  If on your morning commute, the train conductor makes an unintelligible announcement, and you make amused eye contact with another passenger, that’s material for your diary.
  • When something goes “wrong,” try to take it lightly. Reframing mishaps and mistakes will be easier in the moment if you imagine what funny stories they will make later.
  • Spend time with people who make you chuckle. Humor and lightness come naturally when we’re with people who put us in a joyful state,
  • Make humor a main ingredient in your media diet. Treat yourself to humorous TV shows, podcasts, and films, and follow comedians and humor writers on social media.
  • Get to know your own sense of humor. Are you boldly irreverent, self-deprecating, sarcastic, or a charismatic storyteller? Understanding your style helps you improve it.
Can you give an example of when levity was successfully used in your workplace? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.
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Learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication with our online learning courses awarded International Gold for Best Hybrid Learning of 2022. 


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Should You Make Yourself More Likeable?

2/14/2023

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Are you wanting to expand your influence and develop your personal and professional networks? Then it makes sense to consider what will naturally make you a more likeable person. 

Writing in Inc., Marcel Schwantes, contributing editor and founder of Leadership from the Core offers these guidelines:

  1. Ask interesting questions:  Research shows that curious people connect better with others. Being interested is more important in building and maintaining a relationship than being interesting; this is what gets the dialogue flowing. 
  2. Smile more:  Body language experts say people form an opinion about us in a fraction of a second. To avoid giving off a negative nonverbal cue, simply smile more. Smiles are indicators of safety. Even smiling at a stranger often brings a reciprocal smile, or at least a nod. It's a quick way to create connection.
  3. Listen intently:  Few behaviors enhance a conversation as much as actually attending to what people have to say. Listening signals respect and curiosity. We like people who are interested in us.
  4. Express Joy Visibly: Those who choose to enjoy life attract others. Expressing what makes you happy and grateful also makes you likeable and influential. 

Do you engage in any of these likeability-enhancing behaviors, and which would you like to cultivate more? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

Learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication with our online learning courses awarded International Gold for Best Hybrid Learning of 2022. 

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Two Magic Words: You’re Right!

2/7/2023

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There are countless ways to say “You're wrong.” Now imagine the altered dynamic that occurs with: “You’re right.” These two words are not an abdication of power. They don’t mean that you’re wrong, or that the other person is right about everything. But finding a way to make someone right, can gain you more influence.

Writing in Inc., behavioral scientist Nuala Walsh, confirms that validation is an underutilized leadership tool, and offers ways to make others right:
  • Isolate features: By separating the dimensions of a person’s idea, you can applaud some elements even if you disagree with other aspects. 
  • Solicit opinions:  Don't aim to win each battle. Show you value conflicting opinions and listen. Prove that you can change your mind.
  • Invite counterviews:  Be open to alternative or counterintuitive ideas. It might just be that a point of clarification transforms a marginal idea into a good one. 

When was the last time someone told you that you were right, and how did it feel? Can you do the same? To join the conversation, click "comments" on above.

Create lifetime communication mastery online, with our virtual programs, awarded International Gold for Best Hybrid Learning of 2022.

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