The statements we make to people during critical times can either support or hinder their potential. That’s why I call these statements “Power Messages.” The event is crystal clear in my memory. I was fifteen years old and a sophomore in high school. I was being driven home after a church youth activity by … Read more
It has been quite popular to talk about leadership as influence. While I certainly agree that a leader influences people, the function of leadership is broader, and dare I say “stronger”, than influence. Influence is defined by Webster’s dictionary as the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways. … Read more
As humans, our tendency is to boil concepts down to their most basic elements. In doing so, we extract the uniqueness in pursuit of simplicity. We often do this by using generalizations. These generalizations, while having some utility, rob us of seeing the uniqueness of individual difference. Understanding and embracing uniqueness has been forgotten in … Read more
A few years ago I was talking to a manager who expressed his frustration with the lack of rewards and incentives he was able to give to his team when they performed well. Being an advocate of healthy motivation in workplace environments, I asked him to tell me more about his team and workplace. It … Read more
Imagine if you had a superpower that allowed you to change people’s minds, help people to see your way, trust you more, follow your lead, and get people on your side during any discussion. I’m sure people would pay a lot of money to gain that power. Although it’s not a true superpower, it is … Read more
I was told to wait one more time. I was frustrated. The negotiation started 30 minutes prior and was a slow and tedious process. Most of the time I had spent alone in an office because the salesperson left the room to meet with the sales manager to discuss my offer. This was the third … Read more
Dark Psychology is the art and science of manipulation and mind control. While Psychology is the study of human behavior and is central to our thoughts, actions, and interactions, the term Dark Psychology is the phenomenon by which people use tactics of motivation, persuasion, manipulation, and coercion to get what they want. While working on my doctorate … Read more
Do you want to influence and persuade more effectively? If so, you will have to learn how to connect with people in a way that builds trust and this often requires that you make this trust connection quickly! Many of our daily interactions are quick and involve little conversation and exchange of words. A brief, “How’s … Read more
Strengths-based leadership has been a popular topic for nearly two decades. I’ve had the opportunity to teach the concept and administer several strengths oriented assessments. While the strengths approach has great merit, there are a couple of problems that exist. First, we have to make sure we don’t over-rotate toward developing our strengths and ignore … Read more
One of the most powerful environmental influencers is a leader or authority’s language. I call the empowering words a leader uses, Power Words. A parent, teacher, pastor, supervisor, manager, or leader’s words can have a major impact on the people they lead. Numerous research studies have investigated the impact words have on people’s behavior. These studies … Read more