Normally this blog gives freely and asks little. Today is different. We're giving and asking.  You see starting tomorrow and for the next two or three weeks, scores of leaders and coaches worldwide will apply for admission to The Leadership Gift™ Program 2014. Why? (more…)

One of the most powerful, simple, and unique team-building tools in my arsenal is actually a mindset. This mindset is powerful enough to create breakthrough communication and thinking. Its uniqueness comes from the fact that so few people have it -- or know they have it. It's so simple it took me a long time even to realize I had...

In U.S. culture, when we claim to "intend" something, we're usually making a conscious pledge -- such as a stated goal. However, "intentionality" is always both conscious and unconscious, and the majority of our behavior is actually controlled unconsciously. If you doubt this, just recall the last time you consciously sent blood to your gastro-intestinal system to grab some sugar...

Is it easy for you to grant a small favor to someone you've just met? Are you just as willing to ask a favor of someone you've just met? Most people are much more willing to grant a favor than to ask for one. However, when I teach people about the Leadership Gift, I let them know that asking for...

Collaboration Is Not About Being Right or Wrong Some people exhibit such a need to be right that they can't stand evidence to the contrary. Do you work with someone like that? These are the folks who work overtime to prove others wrong and disparage anyone who has a different point of view. This type of communication stance makes team...

Here's the winner of the badge design contest for the Leadership Gift Accreditation Program. This design was chosen from 63 entries (see contest post). Four levels of accreditation are available. Leadership Gift Program members can apply for the designation of Recognized Leadership Gift Practitioner upon demonstrating proficiency in the core modules of study and application. Higher level accreditation calls on demonstrated...

Most leaders have the motivation process exactly backward! For who knows how long, when you (a leader) wanted me (a follower) to commit to high performance, you and I both expected YOU to tell ME what's in it for me to work with you. It's much smarter to tap into my existing motivation by asking ME to tell YOU what's...

Do you know exactly what you want? Do your partners know exactly what you want? Do you know exactly what they want? Over the years, I have been fascinated and focused on the power of outcome thinking. For instance: Why do we--smart people--spend so much time dwelling on what we don't like or don't want instead of discovering and specifying...

We just posted the download page for the German version of The Responsibility Process poster. You can download it--and a number of other languages--in full color PDF and make as many copies as you like. Read more about the project to translate The Responsibility Process into more and more languages to reach every corner of the globe, especially if you...

In a previous post I called attention to "consent" as the root of "consensus" (as well as the basis for participation in any group). What some people love and others hate about the process of consensus decision-making is that it requires participants to seek every group member's sincere consent to move forward. In fact, my definition of consensus is 100%...