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
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
A few months ago I had a conversation with a man who stated, “Character can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t.” As I dug deeper with a few questions, I found that his belief was based on the idea that you learn character as a child and it is set by adulthood. … Read more
Leadership is not management. Many use the the words manager and leader synonymously, but a leader is not necessarily a manager and a manager is not always a leader. So what’s the difference? Warren Bennis makes several differentiations in his book “On Becoming a Leader.” – The manager is a copy; … Read more
But, there is one thing my boys love, and that’s camping. A couple of times a year I get the opportunity to go camping with my sons’ scout group. A couple of years ago when we first started attending these two-day adventures, I have to admit, I wasn’t thrilled. My attitude wasn’t right … Read more