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Articles from Angie Thompson | Selfgrowth.com
- Five Ways to Make Your December More Productive - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWhen you hear or think about the word December, many things likely come to mind; but one word that likely doesn’t is . . . productive. Today I want to challenge that thought, and even give you some very specific ways to use the last month of the year to be as productive, or perhaps more so, ...
Views: 874 - Five Songs From My iPod That Will Make You a Better Leader - by Submitted on Nov 23, 2015 from Angie ThompsonMusic can move us, make us smile; bring back memories - both good and bad - and many other things. Today, I plan to show you how music can help make you a better leader. Everyone has a connection to at least some music; everyone has favorite songs, genres and more. In this article, I am not ...
Views: 902 - What Leaders Can Learn From Charlie Brown - by Submitted on Nov 16, 2015 from Angie ThompsonCharlie Brown. He is one of the best-known fictional characters of the last 75 years (though he first appeared in a different strip earlier. The first Peanuts Strip was published October 2, 1950). He is known by many as a lovable loser, has been often bullied, and called names (“You Blockhead, ...
Views: 896 - What Is My Trust Set Point? - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2015 from Angie ThompsonTrust is something we’d all like more of. We’d like to be able to trust more people more. And we’d all also like more people to trust us more. These are universally true statements, even for those who have lots of trusting relationships. While this is true, it only considers part of what ...
Views: 882 - How Do I Communicate Better With People at a Distance? - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2015 from Angie ThompsonThe saying goes; absence makes the heart grow fonder. While that may be true in some cases, another old saying is also true: Out of sight, out of mind. Both hold shades of truth for any of us wanting to communicate more effectively with people when we are separated by space. More often ...
Views: 872 - I Work With Them, But Do I Have to Like Them? - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2015 from Angie ThompsonThe idea for this article came from a question I recently received from a manager, who asked: What do you do when a group of people that work together have a lot of history and just don’t generally like each other? As you can see from the title, I’m not answering the exact question, but I am ...
Views: 950(1 vote) - Four Questions That Will Improve Your Results - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2015 from Angie ThompsonI’ve got four questions for you… four questions that can, as I promised above, change your results. I’m going to say more about each of them, how they can make a difference, and when you would want to apply them, but first, here they are: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? You can apply ...
Views: 857 - How to Earn People's Attention in Your Next Presentation - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2015 from Angie ThompsonBefore you dive into the details of your next presentation and start preparing your PowerPoint and stressing about how it will go . . . Stop. Ask yourself a more important question. A question that far-too-few people ask. How will I earn their attention? Because if they aren’t paying ...
Views: 890 - How to Share Bad News Without Demotivating Your Team - by Submitted on Oct 13, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIf you have been leading for very long, you’ve had bad news to deliver to someone or to your entire team. I do realize that there is “bad news” and there is "seriously-work-and-life-changing-bad-news", but regardless of the depth, leaders worry about the impact the news will have on the psyche, ...
Views: 924 - How Improving Your Coaching Skills Will Improve Your Life - by Submitted on Oct 13, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWait a minute Kevin...isn’t coaching supposed to be about the person we are coaching, not about us? Yes, the best coaches do put 100% of their focus on helping the other person become more successful and confident. So if this is true, then why are you writing about how the coach will benefit? ...
Views: 824 - How to Implement Your Game Changing Ideas - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIt’s time, and you know it. You and your team have identified the idea that will change your world and results. It’s your Disney World, your iPad, or your DVD player. OK, it might not be that big, but it will be a game changer for you. It is big, it is bold, and it is not like anything you ...
Views: 854 - How Leaders Make Hard Decisions - by Submitted on Sep 21, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIf you are a leader, you make decisions, large and small, every day. Many are straightforward and take very little time, but if you have been a leader for very long at all, you have had to face a complex, multi-faceted and difficult problem, where the decision was far from easy or ...
Views: 844 - Why You Get Your Best Ideas in the Shower (and Why Matters) - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2015 from Angie ThompsonHow many times have you gotten a flash of insight, a great idea or remembered the name of that person you couldn’t come up with, while taking a shower? I’ll bet it is more than once. In fact, one survey of highly creative people found that 19% of those people get their best ideas in the ...
Views: 842 - Five Ways You Can Learn Something Today - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2015 from Angie ThompsonLearning. In a world where change seems to come hurling toward us like a bullet train, we know learning is needed just to survive, let alone thrive. And while most everyone would nod at the idea that we must be lifelong learners, the list of excuses people have for why they aren’t and can’t be ...
Views: 831 - What Leaders Can Learn From Cal Ripken, Jr. - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIf you aren’t a baseball fan, Cal Ripken, Jr. is a Hall of Fame shortstop who played his whole career with the Baltimore Orioles. While over 18,000 have played in the Major Leagues, less than 250 have been elected to the Hall of Fame. And no one who has ever played in 2,632 games in a row, ...
Views: 1034 - Five Ways to Create Greater Vision - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2015 from Angie ThompsonEvery leader deals with leading, championing or even driving change. And every book and article about doing that will talk about the importance of the vision for the changed state. There is a good reason for that – a vision of the changed state you want people to move towards is critical to a ...
Views: 875 - THE Recency Illusion - What It Is and What It Means To Leaders - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIt is a phrase most often used in relationship to language usage, but when coined by linguist Arnold Zwicky, he defined it much more broadly as “the belief that things you have noticed only recently are in fact recent.” Here are two interesting language examples: • You might think that the use ...
Views: 815 - What I Learned at My Class Reunion - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2015 from Angie ThompsonRecently I attended my 35th High School Class Reunion. Actually, I did more than attend it; I hosted it at our farm. I graduated with about 115 other kids in 1980, and as Class President, I have been involved in the planning of all of our class reunions (though early on, my role was much ...
Views: 894 - Five Keys to Overcoming Virtual Team Conflicts - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWhen we think about remote or virtual teams, we may think about flexibility, freedom and perhaps even high productivity. And when people are working out and on their own, we typically think that interpersonal issues might not matter as much or happen as often. Unfortunately, this isn’t always ...
Views: 835 - Five Leadership Lessons from the Apollo Moon Landing - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2015 from Angie Thompson46 years today and tomorrow (as I post this), July 20 and 21st, 1969, are days that everyone my age or older remembers. These are the days when the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the moon (the 20th) and when Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon (on the 21st). This was an ...
Views: 850 - Business Lessons from a Farm Party - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2015 from Angie ThompsonBefore I get to the lessons, I need to give you a bit of background. On July 4th, we hosted the ninth annual Farm Party at our farm in Michigan. A flag was signed by nearly all of the 88 attendees of this event. Present also were the flags from the last four years, hanging as banners in our ...
Views: 878 - Building Your All-Star Team - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2015 from Angie ThompsonProfessional sports leagues create special event games called All Star Games. They create teams of the best players from their leagues to play a game, show off their talents and sell tickets. One way or another (by votes of media, players or fans), the players are selected and the game is ...
Views: 868 - Ten Questions to Ask After Setting Your Goals - by Submitted on Jul 03, 2015 from Angie ThompsonLots of people set goals. Far fewer achieve them. There are a lot of reasons why that happens, not the least of which is that people treat the goal setting process as an achievement; which it isn’t really. We don’t set goals as the outcome. We set goals to get goals. (Tweet That) Yes, setting ...
Views: 823 - Your Development Belongs to You - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2015 from Angie ThompsonYep, I’ve stated my premise in the title. Your development is yours. It doesn’t belong to your boss or your organization, it belongs to you. I’ve stated my premise; now let me state my case. Who Benefits Most? When we think about you becoming more effective at work, whether that is technical ...
Views: 802 - Looking at the World Through a Learning Lens - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2015 from Angie ThompsonEveryone would agree that we can learn from our life experiences. And everyone does. But while we all have experiences every day, have you noticed that some people seem to glean far more from those experiences than others? If you would like to better harvest the lessons from your experiences, ...
Views: 809 - What Transparency Really Means to You as a Leader - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIt is one of those buzzwords, created by and repeated by consultants and "experts". They pick a word or phrase and use it so much it gets a life of its own. And whatever relevance it had to begin with is lost in the faint nodding of heads (because everyone is supposed to agree) or the rolling ...
Views: 802 - Helping People See the Big Picture (and Why it is So Important) - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWhen I am flying home to Indianapolis, I always hope for the landing pattern that takes us over the famed oval of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The image here gives you an idea – but unless you have seen it for yourself, you have no grasp for it. The track is 2.5 miles around. Think about ...
Views: 976 - Getting Your Whole Team Pulling Together - by Submitted on May 18, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWhat we want is everyone working together, pulling in the same direction, striving for the same goals. It seems like it ought to be easy. After all, everyone is on the same team. But the more people who are involved on your team and in your organization, the harder this becomes. People create ...
Views: 898 - How “U-Pick” Your Relationships and Results - by Submitted on May 11, 2015 from Angie ThompsonNote: The essay that follows was written several years ago and comes from my book Vantagepoints on Learning and Life. The lessons are as true as ever. I share this as a day-after-Mother’s Day tribute to my mom. Thanks Mom – I love you. My mother emailed me about an experience she had last week ...
Views: 880 - How “U-Pick” Your Relationships and Results - by Submitted on May 11, 2015 from Angie ThompsonNote: The essay that follows was written several years ago and comes from my book Vantagepoints on Learning and Life. The lessons are as true as ever. I share this as a day-after-Mother’s Day tribute to my mom. Thanks Mom – I love you. My mother emailed me about an experience she had last week ...
Views: 824 - Leadership Potential: Make the "Possible" Your "Reality" - by Submitted on May 04, 2015 from Angie ThompsonOne of the words we use a lot at The Kevin Eikenberry Group is potential. It is in book and newsletter titles, and it is on my mind every day. Implied in those titles is our belief that we all have significant potential. Here is what is at the bottom of this blog: "Extraordinary potential ...
Views: 912 - What Leaders Must Do When Failure Strikes - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2015 from Angie ThompsonFailure happens to all of us. And as leaders, how we deal with it is important – for ourselves, and for the lasting message it sends to others. Recently we experienced one of our most public failures. Guy Harris and I were in our studio during what was supposed to be an awesome three hour live ...
Views: 828 - Ten Ways to Turn Individual Contributors into Collaborative Colleagues - by Submitted on Apr 21, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIt happens often. You are leading a team and some (maybe all) of the members see themselves as individual contributors, not necessarily members of a team. They state (and show) that they’d rather work alone, and prefer individual accomplishments and results to tying their fortunes to a ...
Views: 812 - Unlock Conversation With These Seven Question Keys - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWe have all encountered locked doors in our lives. Most of them are literal slabs of wood or metal, keeping us from moving to someplace we want to go. And to get through doors, keys are required. The keys I am sharing with you today however, unlock more than a literal door. They are key ways to ...
Views: 823 - How to Start Coaching Existing Team Members - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2015 from Angie ThompsonAs a leader/manager/supervisor in an organization, part of your responsibility, obligation and an implied (if not stated) expectation is to be a coach. Recently I was asked a very valuable question about that role, and the reality that many leaders live in. The question came from someone ...
Views: 907 - The Language of Encouragement - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2015 from Angie ThompsonSome of the most powerful things in life are simple. Such is the case with encouragement. People are more productive, more focused and more successful in a positive and supportive environment than in a negative one. And we can help create that environment by being more encouraging. John Adair ...
Views: 853 - What Do You Stand For? - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2015 from Angie ThompsonAs leaders we are in the influence business. Think about it – while it might be desirable and make our lives easier, we can’t make anyone do anything, at least not for very long, and without there being unintended consequences. If we as leaders can’t control others, we must influence or ...
Views: 875 - Leadership in Full Color - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2015 from Angie ThompsonRecently I had a conversation with my father-in-law who used to sell and repair televisions as a side business. Somehow we started talking about early color sets. He mentioned that he owns the first color set he ever sold, and we reminisced about the first color sets we had. We got ours when I ...
Views: 939 - Creating Moments That Matter - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2015 from Angie ThompsonWhen you think back over your life and the strongest relationships in it, you will quickly find moments that played a big part in those relationships becoming what they became. While this might very well be true for your relationship with your spouse or a romantic relationship, it is just as ...
Views: 996 - What Leading By Example Really Means - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2015 from Angie ThompsonAny discussion of great leaders will include the cliché that the best leaders lead by example. Stated in conversation, everyone will nod and agree. And if you are reflecting personally on the attributes of those you have willingly followed, you will find that common trait too. It seems there is ...
Views: 956 - Five Ways Confident Communication Builds Trust - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2015 from Angie ThompsonThe leader purposefully strides to the front of the conference room table and is prepared to begin. Smiling warmly, she turns to the group, and asks the group a question. Since she wants their response she allows the pause to encourage people to participate. After creating a conversation, she ...
Views: 897 - The Insurance Every Leader Needs - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2015 from Angie ThompsonInsurance. We have it for many things: for our lives, for our cars, for our home, for our health, for our identities, for our cell phones (!) and much more. We are purchasing this insurance as a safety net against something bad happening. While different people have different risk tolerances, ...
Views: 821 - What Great Leaders Must Love - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2015 from Angie ThompsonIt’s the season of love – the week of Valentine’s Day when everyone who sells anything is trying to tie their product to romance. I’m not trying to sell you a bouquet or a bottle of wine. I’m trying to sell you an idea. And admittedly, the love I am speaking of isn’t the sort that takes place ...
Views: 952 - Leadership Insanity - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2015 from Angie ThompsonThere are at least two definitions of the word insanity: the one in the dictionary, and the cliché we’ve all heard, used, and knowingly nodded our head at when hearing it. First, from Merriam-Webster: Insanity 1. a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as ...
Views: 951 - Beating Blue Monday - the “Worst Day of the Year” - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2015 from Angie ThompsonAbout ten years ago Cliff Arnall, a British scientist, reportedly created a calculation to determine “the most depressing day of the year.” The equation includes seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since last failed attempt, (M) low ...
Views: 946 - What Do You Believe? - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2015 from Angie ThompsonI’ve certainly opened with a big question, and it is a question I want you to think about as you read, and hopefully far into the future. Specifically, I want you to think about the beliefs and expectations you hold about those you lead. But before I get back to you personally, let me give you ...
Views: 887 - What Adults Can Learn From Show and Tell What Adults Can Learn From Show and Tell - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2015 from Angie ThompsonApparently today is Show and Tell Day at Work. Who knew? When I read this fact, it got me thinking . . . I went back to Mrs. Fredrick’s kindergarten classroom on a warm spring day. I was called to the front. It was my turn to share! No, I don’t remember exactly what I showed off, but I ...
Views: 890 - The Most Important Reason Not to Fear Resistance - by Submitted on Jan 05, 2015 from Angie ThompsonResistance. When I ask groups to tell me what first comes to their minds when they think about change, resistance is always on that list. And their thoughts about it aren’t positive – in fact, I used the word “fear” in the title purposefully. Resistance is typically seen as a negative ...
Views: 956 - A 90 Minute Activity for New Year’s Eve - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2014 from Angie ThompsonIt is possible you could take longer than 90 minutes, and you could perhaps spend a bit less time, but if you will look at your calendar for New Year’s Eve and give yourself 90 minutes to do what follows, you will be very glad you did (and it will give you one more reason to celebrate). Find a ...
Views: 1052 - You Want it When? How to Proactively Beat Tight Deadlines - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2014 from Angie ThompsonWe’ve all dealt with it many times – the project gets behind and the pressure is on. Or something changes in the organization – a supply problem, a system is down, manufacturing is halted (you know what your crises are), and suddenly something needs to be fixed, now. Or your boss gives you a ...
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