August, 2013

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The End of Gossip

Leadership Freak

'Image source Leadership is relational. Plans and programs shrivel compared to the relationships you create, nurture, or tolerate. Organizations are only as strong as the relationships that hold them together. Gossip weakens and destroys relationships. Gossip is about power. Those without power, gossip to get power. Manipulation, twisting truths, and speculation are symptoms of feeling […].

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Five Keys to Mending Relationships

Kevin Eikenberry

'I grew up on a farm and was hard on jeans as a kid. Just ask my mom, a talented seamstress who spent more hours than you can imagine mending torn jeans. Today, jeans come with holes – and you pay extra for them. In my youth, you earned those holes, and didn’t ever want [.].

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10 Power Tips for Dancing with Elephants

Leadership Freak

'The more uncomfortable the conversation the more important it is. The more it matters, the tougher it is. Weak leaders choose manipulation over honest exchange. Wise leaders choose tough conversation over mediocrity. Successful leaders address issues others avoid. Mediocrity is the result of avoidance. Excellence is a function of confrontation. The danger of tough conversations […].

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Ten Tips for Overcoming Discouragement

Leadership Freak

'I hate bubbly people. They’re out of touch with themselves, others, and the world. Leaders who never feel discouraged are incomprehensible. Don’t trust anyone who’s always happy, excited, or pleased with life. Every leader fights a never ending battle for improvement, growth, excellence, and progress. It’s the “never ending” part that gets you down.

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How to Make The Best Benefits Decisions for 2025's Workforce: An HR and Total Rewards Guide

Speaker: Kaitlin Ruby Carroll

Retaining top talent in 2025 means rethinking benefits. In a competitive job market, fertility benefits are more than just offerings - they are a commitment to your team’s well-being. Gain critical insights into the latest fertility benefits strategies that can help position your organization as an industry leader. Our expert will explore the unique advantages and challenges of each model, share success stories from top organizations, and offer practical strategies to make benefits decisions tha

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Why Fitting In Doesn’t Work

Leadership Freak

'Leaders choose to emphasize people or organization. The former celebrates individuality, the later accentuate fitting in. One fits the people to the program; the other fits the program to the people. Both are necessary. But, balance between the two isn’t possible. One always wins. It’s stylish to say, “People first.” But for the most part, […].

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When Projects Fail

Leadership Freak

'We had a project fail. Let it sting. Soothing pain is for babies, not big boys and girls. Team members who don’t care about losing are losers. Don’t sooth discomfort by minimizing failure, but don’t overreact, either. Expect responsibility. Blamers are covering for something they should have done. Finger-pointing is the loser’s way of getting […].

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How to Fulfill Leadership’s First Responsibility

Leadership Freak

'Fear hopes monsters go away. Courage grabs them by the throat. “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” Max De Pree The movie, Apollo 13, made the phrase, “Houston, we have a problem,” famous. “Houston, we have a “challenge,” doesn’t cut it. Courage doesn’t play games with language. Courageous leaders point out […].

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How to Help People Solve Their Problems

Leadership Freak

'Every time you impose your solution on their problem you devalue and degrade others. Experienced leaders see the world through their own strengths. The question isn’t what would you do. The question is what action best suits them. They have their strengths, not yours. Accidental arrogance – intentional humility: Ego makes your way – the one aligned with […].

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Getting Crazy

Leadership Freak

'Image source Run to crazy people. Avoid comfortable people. Teammates, who think like you, are irrelevant. They take up space and suck oxygen. Reserve chairs and air for crazies. Invite in those who see differently. Punish silent agreement and reward dissent. Strong leaders seek options, alternatives, and diversity. Weak leaders build weak teams filled with […].

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I Hate my Boss

Leadership Freak

'I’ve been asking people if they ever had a boss they hated. The follow up question, “How did you deal with them?” The first thing they usually say, “I avoided them.” Hated bosses: Disenfranchise by hanging with other bosses and ignoring “the troops.” Snobbery, even if it’s unintentional, is off putting. Deflate when trying to […].

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The Diversity Reckoning: Can HR Survive Without New Perspectives?

Speaker: Jeremy York

2024 has tested every organization, and 2025 promises no less - the warning signs are everywhere. If you’re relying on superficial approaches to diversity, you might find yourself scrambling to catch up. Thought diversity - the fuel for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and disruptive innovation - is more than a buzzword. It's a survival strategy. And if you’re not building it into your workplace culture right now , you’re heading for trouble.

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A Personal Confession

Leadership Freak

'Image source At lunch, I told my wife I thought I’d clean my office before working on “the book.” She laughed hysterically. She laughed so much that I started laughing too. When she finally stopped, – after starting and stopping several times – I said, “I didn’t think it was that funny.

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In Over Your Head

Leadership Freak

'Leadership’s pivotal moment arrives the moment you admit you’re in over your head. Until then, you’re predictable and mundane. The weight of leadership hasn’t buckled your knees. Competence holds you up. Bain of competence: Competence is overrated. Clinging to competence is clinging to attainability. You feel you’re able. Attainability is the mother of average.

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How to Solve the Garbage Problem in Leadership

Leadership Freak

'You insult your friends, colleagues, and your maker, when you neglect your abilities. But, worst of all, you insult yourself. Garbage is neglected; valuables cherished. Stop treating yourself like rubbish. Develop your gift. Stop expecting others to do what you must do. Take responsibility for the swamp you slipped into. Despise downward stagnation before you […].

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Overcoming the Seduction of Charisma

Leadership Freak

'Charismatic leaders are bigger than life. You aren’t one of them. Very few leaders move people through charisma, personality, and up front skills. It’s not likely you have enough charisma to lead through charisma. Successful leadership doesn’t require charisma. Weak people want leaders to be bigger, brighter, and prettier than they are. But, everyone’s a […].

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Recognition Powers High-Performance — If You Do it Right

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg

Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.

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Seven Ways to Succeed Again

Leadership Freak

'Failure is hard, but maintaining success is harder. Things get clear when the house is on fire. Obstacles pull strong teams together. Crisis creates focus and urgency. There’s nowhere to go but up. Adversity brings out the best. Success brings out the worst. Success, apart from skillful leadership, is deadly. There’s nowhere to go but […].

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The Dirty Truth About Acting Without Permission

Leadership Freak

'You say you want people to act without asking permission. In truth, you want them to do what you want them to do without being told. How many times have you said, “Just go do it. You don’t need my permission.” Leadership by decree isn’t leadership. Other than saying, “You don’t need my permission,” what’s […].

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Why Encouragement Fails – What to Do About It

Leadership Freak

'He quietly explained, “Tell me my work matters.” We were in the living room discussing his role in our organization, when he said, “Sometimes I get discouraged.” I asked, “How would you like me to treat you when you get discouraged?” He said, “Encourage me.” I asked for explanation. Negotiating encouragement: Avoid treating others the way […].

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The Future is Cancelled – Getting it Back

Leadership Freak

'The present you enjoy now was built yesterday. You’re building the future right now. “Future is now. If you want to become a leader in 2020, then it is not what you do in the year 2020. It’s what you do today.” Vijay Govindarajan Living in reverse: Leaders who react to the past, without the […].

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HR Meets AI: The New Way of Keeping Large Workforces Connected and Engaged

Speaker: Miriam Connaughton and Donald Knight

As organizations scale, keeping employees connected, engaged, and productive can seem like a monumental task. But what if AI could help you do all of this and more? AI has the power to help, but the key is implementing it in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, human connection. Join us for an exploration into how industry trailblazers are using AI to transform employee experience at scale while addressing both the potential and the pitfalls.

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16 Questions that Establish Maximum Impact

Leadership Freak

'“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Attributed to Albert Einstein Effective leaders understand people like fly casters understand fish. But successful leaders do more than understand people, they help people understand themselves and […].

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Successful Business Leaders Share One Purpose

Leadership Freak

'Every successful business leader has one single-minded purpose, create customers. Businesses aren’t born until they create customers; they die when they stop. I love writing about the qualities and behaviors of effective leaders. But, all the clarity, alignment, collaboration, and vision in the world won’t mean a thing if you don’t create customers.

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Meetings that Inspire Vibrancy and Vitality

Leadership Freak

'Image source I’ve led more than a thousand leadership meetings. I’ve left many feeling lousy. But, Friday, I left a leadership meeting feeling great. I still had a list of things I could have done differently. I’m always tweaking my performance. But I felt revitalized. After Friday’s meeting, I received a text that began, “Thanks […].

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On Green Apples, Cramps, and Diarrhea

Leadership Freak

'Green-apple-leaders are hard, sour, and useless. The best they offer is cramps and diarrhea. They feel successful because they hang from apple trees. But really, they’re a pain. You’re a green-apple-leader if you: Are consumed with desire. You feel good about the ache in your heart to make a difference, but there’s no dirt under […].

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The Upskilling Advantage: Transforming Your Workforce For Future Growth

Speaker: Brian Richardson

With a staggering 92% of CEOs prioritizing skill development, and 84% struggling with transformation, mastering upskilling is now more critical than ever. Drawing on extensive research and collaboration with hundreds of leading organizations, discover key hurdles and innovative best practices in workforce upskilling. You'll walk away with a deep understanding of how to build a culture of continuous learning, expert insights into assessing the current skills of your employees, and a strategic too

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Communication Lessons from the I Have a Dream Speech

Kevin Eikenberry

'Fifty years ago today, a speech of less than 11 minutes in length demanded the world stop and listen; and we are still listening today. On August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech has been studied, watched, commented on, and […].

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Six Ways to Expand Your Perspective

Kevin Eikenberry

'Last 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, but [.].

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Climbing Your Mountain

Kevin Eikenberry

'One of my favorite movies is The Sound of Music, and one of the best songs in the movie (in my opinion) is “Climb Every Mountain” Today’s quotation isn’t from or about the movie, but the first time I read it, I started humming the song in my head (if you don’t know the song, [.]. Achievement Leadership Learning Personal Development Quotations Success Harold B.

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The Problem of Potential Problems

Leadership Freak

'Alarmists are irritating. They push the panic button at the first hint of smoke. They see what might go wrong and yell fire. While you’re dealing with “real” issues, they’re dealing with things that might happen. Reject the temptation to ignore “alarmists” who bring up potential problems. The land of leadership is the land of […].

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Mastering Remote Onboarding: Proven Strategies for Seamless New Hire Integration

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

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Shakeup Don’t Blowup

Leadership Freak

'Running from discomfort is normal but deadly. Shakeups – strategic discomfort – create vibrancy. Repetition produces predictability. Predictability produces comfort. Comfort produces resistance. Organizational rigor mortis sets in. “We’ve always done it that way.” Resistant-comfort rejects the new and unknown because it’s new and unknown.

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Innovation Requires Structure

Kevin Eikenberry

'This is the third Wednesday in a row I’ve written about innovation. Why? Because it is important to us, personally and professionally. Today’s title might have you scratching your head, which is fine with me. Read on. . Ask most people what they think about when they consider creativity and innovation, and most likely [.].

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Failure of The Pudding Palace

Leadership Freak

'The Pudding Palace never made a ripple on the business scene. Poof! It appeared. Poof! It vanished. But, there it was, for a glorious moment in time, a store dedicated to pudding! Paper bowls, plastic spoons and all. I can still see the handmade sign and metal folding chairs. Florescent lighting and bare walls gave […].

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Leadership and The Power of Perspective

Kevin Eikenberry

'I’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 [.].

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How To Empower Your Workforce With Modern Fertility Benefits

Speaker: Andrea Wuchiski

In an era where a workforce spans multiple generations, HR managers and Total Rewards leaders face the unique challenge of designing benefits packages that cater to diverse employee needs. This session will delve into how comprehensive fertility benefits can bridge generational gaps, support employees’ health, and enhance workplace satisfaction. Join us for an insightful session that highlights the strategic importance of fertility benefits in today’s competitive job market.