We talk a lot about communication on this blog, because communicating well is integral to the human experience. We cannot build or maintain relationships without good communication skills. The fallout of bad communication is all around us. Part of the problem, of course, is because we are all very different human beings, with different backgrounds … Read more
Picture this: A man nervously fumbles through his wallet. He’s about to buy a large coffee, which costs $3.19. “Oh, oh, oh,” he started nervously, looking around and shoving his hand into a deep pocket. “Looks like I don’t have enough money.” He laughs in an unusual way. What’s going on? We can all look … Read more
“He would give someone the shirt off his back before they knew they needed it.“ These words came to mind as we celebrated the life of my wife’s grandfather a couple weeks ago. Do you know the feeling you get when you need help but you’re not sure what it could be? Then, suddenly, someone is … Read more
He was in his mid-50s. Unkempt hair. Tank top. Flip flops. Ripped jean shorts. No helmet. Riding a bike with a cigar in his mouth. I confess to making a quick judgment about how his cigar—before 8 a.m.—belied any effort on his part to be healthy by biking. And, I confess, I judged him quicker … Read more
The Tokyo Olympics is in full swing, and I am loving every second of it. Of course, the big news of this year’s games has been U.S. gymnast Simone Biles. Most people expected her to make history in Tokyo by standing on top of the podium six times, sporting all six women’s artistic gymnastics gold … Read more
Servant leadership is about looking for opportunities to meet the needs presented to us. So, when we have simple tasks on our plate, it’s natural to ask someone: “Would you please do that for me?” The “for me” is such a common phase, we do not think much about it. In essence, we are asking … Read more
Note from Alan: One of my best friends, Matt Pries, is a wise man and a great writer. I’ve asked him to share some of his thoughts about leadership. Matt is Iowa’s 2021 Coach of the Year, and many of his writings have gone viral online. You’ll read more from him over the next couple … Read more
In the latest book by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership, they share research showing who people identify as their most influential leader. Options included political leaders, historical figures, business leaders, and celebrities. However, the majority of people did not select famous individuals as their most influential leader; instead, they chose from … Read more
I’ve brought up this topic before, but the importance of being clear in your communication can not be over-emphasized. There’s a subtle vocal tick careful leaders avoid using–“honestly.” Often we use this word to get the listeners attention and emphasize our message. As a communicator, you lose agency when you begin conversations with phrases that … Read more
We’ve all been there—a training session, a professional development day, or leadership workshop we enjoyed but never applied the concepts. Maybe it was good information, delivered decently, with acceptable materials. Yet something kept us from applying it. Perhaps we blame it on the session itself for not having enough takeaways. Or maybe it was great … Read more