by Franklin Wordsmith | Dec 5, 2018 | Leadership
There are two types of listening.The first is the most common: listening to respond. You know this. You can see the person you’re speaking with is just waiting for you to take a breath, so she can tell you something. (Often a story that one-ups yours.)The second is...
by Franklin Wordsmith | Nov 27, 2018 | Leadership
Let’s call it what it is.You worked hard to develop an idea or create a proposal. You know your recommendation will address someone’s needs, solve a problem or offer a better solution.Then you get the “That’s not what I asked for.”Or the...
by Franklin Wordsmith | Nov 6, 2018 | Leadership
“You attract more bees with honey than vinegar,” my grandmother—and maybe yours—used to say.“Yah, yah,” I used to reply sarcastically to myself, as I tuned her out.It turns out she had the makings of a good leader.It’s Science, but not Rocket ScienceCase Western...
by Franklin Wordsmith | Nov 4, 2018 | Leadership
Maybe like me, you thought that empathy was putting yourself in another person’s shoes. It turns out that’s one kind — but there’s a second type that’s better. Using the latter does more than make the people you’re with feel better....
by Franklin Wordsmith | Oct 24, 2018 | Leadership
When I became president of the Illinois Chapter of the National Speakers Association (NSA-IL) this year, I knew my leadership style needed to change.In a sentence, my traditional approach had been “give me a project: I’ll lead it and get it done.”That could...
