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Watching our language: Survival Skill #3

by | Jun 9, 2021 | Uncategorized

When we’re children, we learn how to speak by listening to the conversations around us.  At first, our brains struggle with the new learning, but then we become fluent, and we don’t spend much time thinking about it.  But when we’re dealing with...

Taking responsibility: Survival Skill #2

by | Jun 2, 2021 | Uncategorized

Unfortunately, taking responsibility too often gets confused with accepting blame.  The words, “Who did this!” have echoed in our ears from childhood, and the desire to have it be someone else’s crime is universal.  Shifting blame can look like a safe strategy,...

Leading from a higher ground

by | May 10, 2021 | Uncategorized

Like many of you, I’ve been in situations in my career where I didn’t like the way things were being done.  Maybe it was my boss, or the executive team, or the engineering strategy, or the marketing positioning, or the decline in revenue, or…well, you get the...

Flexibility and freedom from place

by | Apr 26, 2021 | Uncategorized

Back in the day, it was an article of faith with me that I couldn’t work remotely from my teams and be an effective manager.  I relied on my ability to influence and cajole and evaluate in face-to-face interactions.  I rarely worked from home, because that would...

What is referent power and why do we care?

by | Apr 16, 2021 | Uncategorized

We gain referent power because people like us, because they want to be like us in some way, because they respect us.  There are many sources of referent power.  Perhaps we are charismatic and inspiring.  Perhaps we are calm in a crisis, can defuse a conflict with...