Archive for October, 2008

Here are some ideas in addition to those I have given in other Tips on how to regain our focus once we have lost it. When we respond to a stressful situation, we sometimes lose self-control as our amygdala takes over. The amygdala is a primitive part of the brain that recognizes threats and instantly [...]

How can we regain our focus once we have lost it? The problem in some stressful situations is that our amygdala, a primitive part of the brain, hijacks the reasoning part of the brain and throws us into a fight or flight response. In the office this usually means being overly aggressive or withdrawing. We [...]

Once we know what we really want in a given situation, the trick is to keep our focus when we encounter difficulties. If our goal is difficult and complex, we will encounter difficulties and need to handle them through crucial conversations. If we don’t handle them well, they may throw us off track so that [...]

What happens when we lose our focus and how can we regain it? Brain neurological studies now give us a clearer picture of what happens when we lose our normal self control. A primitive part of human brains, called the amygdala, is the equivalent of the lizard’s brain. Its main function is to insure our [...]

In work relationships, it is crucial that people trust you. Sometimes it is hard to build trust with someone who has a prior history that makes them afraid to trust you. For example, the CEO of a company once assigned me to give executive coaching to a VP of the company. I sat down with [...]

The following case was offered by a participant of my company-sponsored Virtual-Workshop series, Leadership Communication™. I, Sally, (not real name) am a project manager in packaging. A team member named Jane has not given me contact details for an external supplier despite numerous requests. I am not sure what the reason is for her refusal. [...]

Emotional intelligence is crucial in times of economic decline and layoffs. Managers need emotional intelligence to cope with the dissatisfaction of employees. Employees need emotional intelligence to cope with their stresses of increased workloads, sad feelings for those forced to leave, and fear for their own future. Everyone needs emotional intelligence to cope with all [...]

Recently, I heard a lecture given to us Harvard Business School alumni by Bill George, Professor at Harvard Business School, on the topic, “Leadership in the 21st Century.” He asserted that many of the problems our corporations are in now, including the current mess on Wall St., are the result of bad leadership. Bad leadership [...]