A Tough Choice - Colleague or Friend

Most of us spend about 35% of our waking hours each week at work – sometimes more than we spend with our families. So it comes as no surprise that many meaningful relationships are formed at work – collegial working relationships and even genuine friendships. But what happens when you have to decide between helping a good friend and your job? We all have choices – even when it comes to friendships. When making our choices, we must ask ourselves several questions:  If the worst thing happened out of this choice, what would I do? Do I believe strongly in this decision that I will stand by it no matter what?  If so, do I have a contingency plan to back up my decision?  None of this is easy, but important.  We all must know where to draw the line. That’s a decision each one of us has to make – because we must own the choice and any repercussions that follow. So, when you are facing a question of choice, even when a very good friend is involved, what choice will you make?

 

Click here to read more

 

What a Saying on the Venice Boardwalk Has to do with you

To be an effective speaker, you really have to know just one thing. You have to know more than your audience knows. You have to know that your audience has the attention span of a flea. It is incumbent on the speaker to use your scalpel of clarity; cut out the essence of your message. Then begin at the end. Go back and tell your story after you have gotten to the point. It is like giving money to get on the turnpike. You can’t get on the turnpike unless you pay the toll. Your toll to your audience is the essence of your message. You have to give it to get on the road. Right now you are holding it until you complete the turnpike. Your audience may not tell you as directly as this tank top, but your audience wants to get to whatever is on the agenda after you:  the meal, the program, or the game. After you are done speaking, you want them to want more than a sandwich. You want to provide the meat: provide it early.

 

Click here to read more

 

Meat Eaters vs. Grass Eaters: Personal Power

Many years ago as a very young officer, a grizzled senior officer whispered a comment in my ear. He said “Lieutenant, there are two types of people in this world. There are meat eaters and grass eaters.” Then, as though he wanted to ensure I heard him, he moved away from my ear, looked me in my eyes and said in a firm and undeniable challenging tone—“which one are you!” The connotation was clear. You are either powerful or weak. You make things happen, or things happen to you. You are a lion or a lamb. I have written about organizational power; I have taught the elements of National Power to senior military, government officials and business leaders from the U.S., and its allied nations. It is time to address personal power. I have seen executives, and want-to-be executives, do some of the most amazing things in the hopes of building power. Does any of this sound familiar—not sharing information, asking the unanswerable question during a brief in front of senior executives, cutting a person off in mid-sentence to get their point made. I am always amused at these next two habits: spreading rumours, and better yet, starting rumours, and never shutting up.

 

Click here to read more