Articles

I was recently asked to coach a senior-level manager from a technology firm in Silicon Valley. I learned that this man’s work was of the highest caliber and that his advancement had (up to this point) been fast-tracked. But now his career was stalled. When I asked why this high performing manager needed coaching, here’s […]

If I am dropping eye contact or checking texts messages or rotating my shoulders away while you are speaking, you don’t feel heard — even if I tell you I’m listening and can repeat every word you just said. Here’s why . . . Most explanations of human behavior assume that people are strongly influenced […]

Leadership presence, that illusive but “we know it when we see it” quality, is a blending of personal and interpersonal skills that when combined, send all the right signals. It’s how we show up, how we make others feel, and how effectively we communicate both verbally and nonverbally. It’s the “wow” factor that sets you […]

Two seconds – thirty seconds, tops – that’s all the time it takes to assess your confidence, competence, status, likeability, warmth, and trustworthiness. That’s how much time you have to make a first impression. In fact, it’s impossible for us not to make these snap judgments about one another. Human beings are wired that way. […]

Last year, I spoke on “The Power of Collaborative Leadership” to business audiences in The United Arab Emirates, Scotland, England, The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and four states of the U.S. Audience members represented industries including engineering, manufacturing, retailing, construction, shipping, technology, energy, utilities, printing, pharmaceuticals and consulting – plus a range of government agencies. After […]

Evidence from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, anthropology, and communication studies has given nonverbal communication new credence in the workplace. One example is a study at the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging that discovered it takes the brain just 200 milliseconds to gather most of the information it needs from a facial expression to determine […]

Most leaders today are aware of the need to look confident, powerful, and assertive, but fewer understand the impact of empathy and warmth. And this may be more of a career-limiting factor than they know. As organizations move toward more collaborative cultures, your success as a leader increasing depends on your ability to make team […]

Communication technology has completely changed the way we connect with people to conduct business. It has opened global markets and fostered the use of geographically dispersed teams – including multiple site organizations and remote or home working. But not all technology is created equal. Lean technologies, like texts and email, offer limited social cues. When […]

I’ve been studying confidence (especially as it relates to the ability to deal optimally with change) for the past twenty-five years. Confidence is the personality trait most responsible for an individual’s ability to deal well with organizational transitions. Confident people are self-motivated, have high self-esteem, and are willing to take calculated risks. Here are five […]

I met Brenda when she managed a 2,000-person department for a Fortune 500 company. Brought in to help her with an upcoming change initiative, I was impressed by Brenda’s intelligence, creativity, political savvy, and dedication to her job. She had all the qualities of a senior executive – which was her career goal. But she […]

Today’s corporation exists in an increasingly complex and ever-shifting ocean of change. As a result, leaders need to rely more than ever on the intelligence and resourcefulness of their staff. Collaboration is not a “nice to have” organizational philosophy. It is an essential ingredient for organizational survival and success. One my most popular speaking topics […]

If you found a coin, would you give it to a person who approached you and said it was theirs? Would it make any difference if the person approaching you touched your arm when they made their request? Well, for most people, the answers are no . . . and yes! Only 23 percent of […]

Since writing “The Silent Language of Leaders” three years ago, and “The Nonverbal Advantage” a couple of years before that, I’ve spoken to over two hundred business, university, association, and government audiences — and, in the process of preparing to address these very savvy professionals, I’ve discovered even more about the role of body language […]