Proficiency in critical thinking is considered by many authorities to be a major goal of higher education. It’s often taken as an indicator of intelligence. And the practice of critical thinking is emphasized — for good reason — in numerous professions. This link takes you to definitions posted on the website The Critical Thinking Community....
This question comes up repeatedly, especially with new managers and supervisors. Few people enjoy delivering bad news, so some people try to avoid the conversation altogether, and some go too far in their attempt to soften the blow. Either of these approaches can make the situation worse for the candidate and for your organization. You...
When coaching leaders, I often begin our first meeting by asking this question. Actually, it is my second question. My first question is, “What three words would you use to describe a great leader?” As I wrote in my article Sociology of Leadership, over 99 percent of responses focused on talents; whereas, less than one...
We are conditioned to value the traits of more extraverted individuals. As described in Quiet by Susan Cain, extraversion became the cultural ideal at the beginning of the 21st century. “Stunning,” “dominant,” “forceful,” “energetic” and “magnetic” quickly became the ideal characteristics as people sought to excel in the new workplace. Companies began to hire for...
“Don’t let a loud few determine the nature of the sound. It makes for poor harmony and diminishes the song.” ― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration Our ability to embrace change in this volatile world and adapt to its dynamic demands is possibly our only ticket to win. The way we do business...
Strengths versus Weaknesses? Can you imagine a workplace where your manager played to your strengths, rather than helped you improve your weaknesses? This would be a world where you were celebrated and recognized for the things you do best versus scorned for the things that do not come as naturally. Following a strengths-based perspective, rather...
Bryan Williams is a close friend and partner to Talent Plus. As the founder and leader of BW Leadership Academy, Bryan partners with Talent Plus to incorporate The Science of Talent into his customized leadership action plans through his academy. The BW Leadership Academy is a unique experience focused on building mid-managers into future senior...
What is your leadership legacy? How will you define it? How can it have a long-lasting impact? Many leaders think of their leadership legacy in terms of accomplishments. And, perhaps, how long these accomplishments are remembered or how long these accomplishments — in terms of process implementations or growth of an organization — exist. But...
Many companies understand the benefits of development programs, such as executive coaching, leadership training and strength-management training. However, although organizations understand the benefits, they often fail to understand how to quantify the benefits of such programs. They are unable to get the proof in numbers that development programs are worth the time and the money...
Onboarding has traditionally been nothing more than a corporate overview for new employees (and if they’re lucky, it’s in the form of a game) followed by a few hours spent filling out benefits paperwork, signing corporate policy statements and then maybe ending with the new employee meeting their leader for lunch. While these things certainly...
