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Every one of us is wired so that we are at our best and strongest when we are thinking and acting beyond self-interest – when we look beyond ourselves to focus on the well-being of others.  And we’re at our worst and weakest when we focus exclusively on our own well-being.  I’m talking about a way to tap into your n

Have you ever had a leader who expressed a vision for you that was greater than your vision for yourself?  If you have, it probably had a profound impact on you, especially if they explained what they saw in you that inspired that vision. 

Employees make a sharp distinction between leaders who engage and leaders who avoid.  They feel more valued by leaders who engage with them.  Feeling valued increases not only their sense of worth, but also their sense of purpose and loyalty.

We often think of empowerment as having the authority we need in order to fulfill our responsibilities.  But empowerment at its highest level is confidence in our ability to give something of value to someone else – something that improves their life.  To put it another way, we feel empowered when we believe that wh

Every year our technology for communication advances, but communication remains a challenge.  In fact, the stress that comes from inadequate communication seems to be rising.  It’s hard to blame technology when we’re the ones who create and operate the technology, and yet it’s hard to blame humanity when a lot of ou

A culture of reciprocity is built on a foundation of mutual expectations.  But what are we supposed to reciprocate, and what should the expectations be? 

When a team’s core values include a commitment to achieving resolution, it fortifies the team’s sense of purpose, builds its confidence, fuels its energy, increases its motivation, and strengthens the bond of mutual trust between team members.  It feels as though things are consistently moving forward – progress is alway

When you’re in the zone, you’re in that blissful state of mental clarity where everything seems simple and easy.  The zone is a state of extraordinary focus, clarity and intensity brought about by a state of magnificent relaxation.  This relaxed focus produces our highest level of performance, because we have no int

How do you call out the full greatness that lies within each of your employees?  Embracing this question is one of the highest forms of leadership, and it offers one of the highest payoffs.  Individuals are ultimately responsible for their own greatness, and perhaps it should be just that s

In a culture of positive influence, the most powerful way to earn respect is by giving respect.  That is not just a leadership principle, it’s a human principle that applies to any relationship, but it is especially important in leadership because you are modeling a standard for others to follow.