Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Articles from Angie Thompson | Selfgrowth.com
- Leadership Relationship Building – One Step At A Time - by Submitted on Sep 17, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI’m a big believer in the power of relationships in leading others more effectively. After all, would you rather (and are you more likely to) follow someone you know and like, or someone you don’t? In part because of this belief, I have often used an exercise at the start of leadership ...
Views: 815(1 vote) - Leadership is a Marathon, Not a Sprint - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2013 from Angie ThompsonTwo of the most noted races in the track and field world are the 100 meter dash and the marathon. They are on opposite ends of the length spectrum – a sprint of 100 meters and a long trek of 42,195 meters (26 miles, 385 yards). Many times leaders work and act with an incredible sense of urgency, ...
Views: 435 - Why Leaders Can’t Avoid Learning - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2013 from Angie ThompsonYou can run, but you can’t hide. Actually, it is not (quite) true. There are leaders everywhere that are trying their best to hide every day, like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, when their team isn’t achieving what they could. Leaders who want to blame others, the economy or the ...
Views: 725(1 vote) - Six Ways to Expand Your Perspective - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2013 from Angie ThompsonLast week I wrote about why your perspective as a leader is so powerful. If you missed it, it is a great prelude to this article. Today I give you practical ways to get more and new perspectives into your experience and thought process. Note: None of these are difficult in and of themselves, ...
Views: 901(1 vote) - Leadership and The Power of Perspective - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI’ve been thinking recently about the importance of perspective to our role as a leader. And when I recently saw the work of Gus Petro, who put a new perspective on New York City and the Grand Canyon, it prompted me to write this article. The project is called merge (and the website can be found ...
Views: 710(1 vote) - Trust at a Distance – And How to Build It - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2013 from Angie ThompsonTrust is all over the news these days. People don’t trust the judgment of a jury in Florida. The Yankees don’t trust one of their star players. The Congress doesn’t trust the President, and vice versa. And now the media is asking people if they trust candidate for Mayor of New York (and former ...
Views: 710(1 vote) - The Anatomy of a Leader - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2013 from Angie ThompsonThere is no perfect leader; leaders truly come in all shapes and sizes. Doctors know the same about their patients, yet they still study anatomy – to understand the basic workings of body parts, their roles and how they function together. While the bodies are different, the anatomy is the same. ...
Views: 824(1 vote) - A Forgotten Ingredient to Creative Success - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2013 from Angie ThompsonThis coming month, members of the Remarkable Leadership Learning System will be focused building their creativity skills. These are of course important skills for leaders to possess – both for them personally and to support the creative ideas of the rest of their team. Think about it this way ...
Views: 702(1 vote) - Leadership and Juggling – the Unlikely Lessons - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI have used juggling as a way to relax, to start conversations, I’ve used it as a metaphor to teach lessons in training, and as a result have taught hundreds of people how to juggle as well. Since I learned that Saturday was World Juggling Day, I decided to share some connections and ideas ...
Views: 912(1 vote) - What Happens in Vegas . . . Are Lessons for Leaders - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI’ve spent the last several days in Las Vegas. I am typically there 3-5 times per year on business. On this trip, several things happened in the first couple days that are lessons for us as people and leaders. So let me share each of these moments with you – and what we can all learn from them. ...
Views: 652(1 vote) - Ladies and Gentlemen . . . Start Your Engines - by Submitted on May 28, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI live in Indianapolis, Indiana – the only town in America that doesn’t have Memorial Day weekend - we have Race Weekend. This doesn’t mean we don’t honor those who gave their lives for our country (in fact, we honor them in more ways than most), it just means that the last weekend in May is ...
Views: 832(1 vote) - Leadership Lessons at 10,000 Feet - by Submitted on May 24, 2013 from Angie ThompsonIf you have flown anytime in the last several years you have heard some version of this announcement: At this time, we request that all mobile phones, pagers, radios, and remote controlled toys be turned off for the full duration of the flight, as these items might interfere with the ...
Views: 808(1 vote) - The Leadership Principles That Matter Most - by Submitted on May 14, 2013 from Angie ThompsonIt is a bit daunting to write an article with the title I just typed. It reminds me of those questions you get asked during ice breaker exercises or at dinner parties . . . “If you could take only five books to a desert island what would they be?” I’m not very good at those kinds of ...
Views: 1958 - Doing the Impossible - by Submitted on May 06, 2013 from Angie Thompson3:59.4 On May 6, 1954 the world heard that number. That was the time that Roger Bannister ran the mile at the Iffley Road track in Oxford. It was the first time someone ran a mile in less than 4 minutes. Legend has it that doctors thought the 4 minute mile was a barrier that humans ...
Views: 805(1 vote) - How Leaders Must View Opportunity - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2013 from Angie Thompson124 years today, something amazing and historic happened. The United States government made about 2 million acres of public land in Oklahoma available to homestead. Here’s how it worked.Oklahoma Land Rush Starting at noon April 22, 1889, legal settlers could claim lots up to 160 acres. If ...
Views: 630(1 vote) - A Fresh (and Important) Look at Strengths and Weaknesses - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2013 from Angie ThompsonMany years ago on the way to lunch an obviously upset friend asked me if he was stubborn, explaining that someone had told him that a few minutes earlier. Rather than immediately answering him, I paused and asked a question instead. “Do you think you are persistent?” To which he ...
Views: 670(1 vote) - Using Book Clubs as a Strategic Learning Tool - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2013 from Angie ThompsonIt might surprise you to learn that Oprah didn’t create the concept of the book club. While she popularized it for many, most experts feel book clubs have been around since the early 1700’s. At the start they were more often reading clubs – books were scarce and not everyone could read, so ...
Views: 685(1 vote) - Thinking About Leadership Style - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2013 from Angie ThompsonThe topic of leadership style is an important one, and one that usually comes up as I teach leadership to groups everywhere. Sometimes the phrase “leadership style” itself isn’t mentioned, and yet it is underneath many conversations, questions, and even excuses (I’ll get to that in a bit). My ...
Views: 647(1 vote) - Leading in Living Color - by Submitted on Mar 25, 2013 from Angie ThompsonI’m of the age where I remember television shows moving from black and white to color - Bewitched, The Beverly Hillbillies and Andy Griffith immediately come to mind. When these transitions happened they were widely advertised, but we didn’t have color television yet (the fall of 1972 for us). ...
Views: 743(1 vote) - How Leaders Get Lucky - by Submitted on Mar 19, 2013 from Angie ThompsonOftentimes people look at others who appear to have gained stature or success and explain their results as “luck.” While leaders are rarely as popular or visible as rock or movie stars, more than once I've heard people talk about a leaders as being lucky. They started at the right company . ...
Views: 721(1 vote) - Seven Ways to Be a Better Meeting Participant - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2013 from Angie ThompsonHere’s a safe bet. If you are reading these words, you’ve been in a meeting this week. Here’s a nearly-as-safe bet. You’ve been to at least one meeting recently when you were disengaged, bored, or wished you could have been at your desk getting some “real work” done. While this ...
Views: 696(1 vote) - When is the Best Time to Coach? - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2013 from Angie ThompsonHave you ever heard the old quotation, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”? It has a Zen-like quality to it, and inside those few words is the answer to the question posed in the title. The best time to coach is when the student is ready. At that moment of readiness, we are ...
Views: 786(1 vote) - If Developing Leaders is the Question, Training May Not Be the Answer - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2013 from Angie ThompsonThat is a very strange title to read from a guy who has designed and delivered training for the last 25 years, and whose company provides a wide range of workshops, both inside organizations and in public settings. But the title is accurate. Training may not be the answer, and it most ...
Views: 614(1 vote) - If Developing Leaders is the Question, Training May Not Be the Answer - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2013 from Angie ThompsonThat is a very strange title to read from a guy who has designed and delivered training for the last 25 years, and whose company provides a wide range of workshops, both inside organizations and in public settings. But the title is accurate. Training may not be the answer, and it most ...
Views: 590(1 vote) - What Leaders Can Learn From Teflon - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2013 from Angie ThompsonPTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene was discovered on April 6, 1938 by Dr. Roy Plunkett at the DuPont research laboratories and it was patented in February of 1941. You know PTFE as Teflon – the non-stick coating used on things like pans, griddles and grills. This chemical now has a growing list ...
Views: 900(1 vote) - How to Watch the Super Bowl for Leadership Lessons - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2013 from Angie ThompsonChances are, in a few days you will be watching the Super Bowl. Whether at a party, or home alone, whether you are a true fan, or are watching for the commercials (or as an excuse to eat), the Super Bowl offers you a leadership learning opportunity, if you know what to do. Just like the ...
Views: 642(1 vote) - Why Discussion Seldom Produces the Results We Hope For - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2013 from Angie ThompsonWatch any marching band in any parade and if you are standing close enough you will feel, as well as hear the clanging of the cymbals and the beating of the drums. Watch any football game and on a particularly big hit, the replay will allow you to hear the noise of the impact between two ...
Views: 664(1 vote) - Finding Your Leadership Style - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2013 from Angie ThompsonHere is some very good news for you. There is no perfect leadership style, which means there is more than one way to lead effectively. Why is this good news? Because it means you, yes you, can become a highly effective leader. Read that again and let it sink in. Whatever your past ...
Views: 925(1 vote) - The Gift of Goals - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Angie ThompsonTwelve days ago I started a series of posts I called The 12 (Leadership) Days of Christmas. In it I said that for each of the next 12 days, in keeping with the song, I would offer you a leadership task, designed to be a gift to both you and your team if you completed it and acted on it. The ...
Views: 709(2 votes) - Change and (Positive) Emotions - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Angie ThompsonFor years in training around the world I've said – “There is always an emotional component to change.” And people have typically nodded in agreement. After all, personal experience will tell anyone this is true. There have been changes in your life you were excited about, and those where your ...
Views: 833(2 votes) - The Gift of Goals - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2013 from Angie ThompsonTwelve days ago I started a series of posts I called The 12 (Leadership) Days of Christmas. In it I said that for each of the next 12 days, in keeping with the song, I would offer you a leadership task, designed to be a gift to both you and your team if you completed it and acted on it. The ...
Views: 722(2 votes) - Put on Your Mask First - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonIf you have flown very often, you will recognize the following . . . In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down in front of you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band behind your ...
Views: 774(1 vote) - How to Harness the Power of Our Visual Minds - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonI often do the following exercise with groups (you can try it after you read it, but I’m not sure it will translate perfectly in writing). “Close your eyes and clear your mind. I’m going to say a word. I want you to think about the word briefly then open your eyes. The word is ...
Views: 647(1 vote) - Create a Challenge and Create Your Future - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonThink of the times in your life when you have grown the most, excelled at new levels and felt the most satisfaction with your life and results. Chances are, in all of those situations, a common element was a challenge that you faced and surmounted successfully. Whether it was the challenge ...
Views: 653(1 vote) - Influence Isn’t a Guarantee - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonThere is a difference between what we can control, and what we can merely influence. Sometimes we get these mixed up and this confusion causes many problems for leaders (and all of us as human beings too). Today, I want to clarify one piece of this mix-up, a piece that starts with us ...
Views: 660(1 vote) - Is it OK for Leaders to Be Scared? - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonAt this time of the year being scared or scary is kinda cool – after all it is Halloween! But this is a short season and leaders lead all year long, so the question asked by the title of this piece is a good one – “is it ok for leaders to be scared?” Most leaders would say No! After all ...
Views: 689(1 vote) - Six Keys to Better Impromptu Speaking - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonHave you ever found yourself in a situation like these? You are sitting in the meeting, when your boss’ boss asks you – “what do you think?” Or you are asked to stand and share your thoughts on a topic you haven’t considered before or weren’t prepared to discuss. impromptu speakingIf ...
Views: 794(1 vote) - The Confidence/Competence Loop - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonThere are several basic areas of study that, as we study them, we can become more effective coaches and leaders. This long list includes both human behavior and learning. The psychological concept I want to talk about today comes from the intersection of these two fields of study. Don’t ...
Views: 1925(1 vote) - Seven Steps to Setting Clear Expectations - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonA few weeks ago I wrote an article about the importance of expectations in the workplace and the four basic areas where expectations are required. As I was writing it, I knew people might want the logical next step . . . once we realize the ultimate importance of expectations, and the areas in ...
Views: 841(1 vote) - Home Runs or Singles? A Leader’s Choice - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonToday in 1961, Roger Maris broke the single season home run record of the legendary Babe Ruth when he hit his 61st of the season. Babe’s former record had stood since 1927, and had been seen by many as untouchable (Maris’ record was topped 37 years later and has since been eclipsed ...
Views: 609(1 vote) - Sharing Responsibility – Why We Don’t Want To, and How to Do it Anyway - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonAs a child one of the first things we are taught to do is to share. We don’t do it naturally; and we may learn this habit grudgingly (you probably don’t remember this for yourself, but if you have kids, you’ve seen the pattern repeated, haven’t you?). Some things don’t change much as we grow ...
Views: 717(1 vote) - What Do You Expect? Four Areas of Expectations Required for Great Results - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonPoor performance, turnover, conflict and disengagement. This reads like a checklist of most leaders’ worst fears. I know, because they get mentioned to me nearly every day when I talk with, coach, consult with and train leaders. While there is no single silver bullet answer to solve all ...
Views: 690(1 vote) - Seven Leadership Lessons to Learn Before the Election - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonThe Conventions are over. The election of a new President is less than two months away. This post isn’t about politics or who you should vote for. This post is for you as a leader. For while you will likely never have your every move reported on TV, never have your tax returns a matter ...
Views: 585(1 vote) - Six Ways to Prepare for a Stellar Presentation - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonHave you ever given a presentation and when it was over you said to yourself . . . “I should have been better prepared.”? Have you vowed in that moment of stress, frustration and with the sense of lost opportunity that “I’ll be better prepared next time.”? Then, as the next presentation ...
Views: 666(1 vote) - Seven Ways to (Really) Engage People - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonEngagement is a very trendy word, and while it is so powerful, because of its (over)use, people are making it harder to understand and think about than is necessary. In fact, it is writers, speakers and consultants (yep, people like me) who are adding to the confusion by injecting complexity ...
Views: 741(1 vote) - The Big Key to Organizational Decision Making - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonWorkshops and lectures about decision making center around tools, data and processes. The thinking goes that to make the best decisions, the best data must be available and properly used. And since we often have lots of data, we need tools for parsing, analyzing, understanding and displaying ...
Views: 591(1 vote) - Ten Phrases Every Leader Should Use - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie Thompson“I made a mistake.”I'm sorry. "I was wrong." "I'm sorry." “I’m not sure.” "I don't know." "Would you help me?" "Could you help me understand? I'm not sure I get it." "What do you think?" “What do you suggest?” "What would you do?" No one likes to show their ignorance, or admit they ...
Views: 634(1 vote) - Olympic Lessons for Everyday Achievers - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonEvery two years the Olympics come onto the collective consciousness of the world. And while some watch for the pageantry, the human drama, the patriotism or the actual athletic competition (all of which can be compelling reasons), I believe there is another universal and more useful ...
Views: 567(1 vote) - Turning Creative Sparks into an Innovative Fir - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonDuring a recent guest conversation for members of our Remarkable Leadership Learning System, creativity expert Josh Linkner said “an idea is a like a spark.” I’m sure that isn’t the first time I’ve heard that metaphor, but it struck me in a new way. Like you, I’ve experienced sparks, and ...
Views: 560(1 vote) - The Best Leaders Know Self-Esteem is Scarce - by Submitted on Dec 19, 2012 from Angie ThompsonA key concept in economics is scarcity. In economic terms, it is when people have unlimited wants but resources are limited. If you look up scarcity in the dictionary, you will find a similar idea: 1. insufficiency or shortness of supply; dearth. 2. rarity; infrequency. (Source: ...
Views: 662(1 vote)