Exceptional Leadership

Personality Profiling: boxed in or set free?

2011-01-24T21:01:00.000+11:00

Are you a personality profiling sceptic? I believe that profiling can provide a useful way of getting to know yourself and others. However, the flip side is that people may feel boxed into a category. I want to provide you with some positive reasons why embarking on profiling can be beneficial to both you and your teams. I am an MBTI accredited provider and believe strongly in the value of using

Living in the present

2011-01-09T22:09:00.001+11:00

We bought a banner several months ago to put up at home, the quote by someone anonymous got our attention: "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a gift". It wasn't until my seven year old daughter quoted it to me on the second of January, while I was being preoccupied with worry, that I realized it's profoundness.It is so easy to spend time regretting the past and worrying about

Your Focus Style

2010-12-14T20:02:00.002+11:00

Confronted with an unfamiliar problem or challenge, most of us tend to focus on the information provided in two distinct ways. Each of these approaches has it's advantages and disadvantages. Take the quick quiz below by answering A or B. We will talk about your results later. 1. When deciding on a holiday destination, I usually; A Conduct in depth research and take my time B Choose on the

Procrastination: the enemy of time

2010-12-14T17:57:00.001+11:00

Do you ever find yourself in a rut, worrying about what needs to be done rather than getting it done. Well you are not alone. We all have our reasons for why we put things off and choose not to act, and instead procrastinate.Whatever the reason, we need to realise that inaction reaps: stress, worry, anxiety, concern and the list goes on. On the other hand adhering to the motto "never put off

Expecting Perfection

2010-12-13T22:28:00.001+11:00

Donald Miller makes the statement "When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can start to like them for who they are". I have found this to be so true in working with people.We will naturally expect of others what we expect of ourselves. We are born with filters that affect our perspective of the world. These might be ones we have developed through observing the adults in our young lives,

The Power of Habits

2010-12-13T22:27:00.001+11:00

Once again it's time to reflect on the last twelve months and ascertain whether we have achieved what we set out to achieve for 2010. I know for me the challenge was to develop sustainable healthy habits.I believe we develop habits as a way of freeing up our conscious minds. A habit becomes an automated process to make a task easier. We structure our day around routines and habits like always

Performance feedback for the boss?!

2010-11-24T23:10:00.001+11:00

As leaders and supervisors we reflect on and evaluate the performance of our teams, but how often do we seek feedback on how they perceive OUR performance? By asking our teams a few simple questions we can gain valuable insights into our performance. Ask your team members to answer the following questions: What do you want me to start doing? What do you want me to stop doing? What do you want

Emotional Intelligence: what is it?

2010-11-23T21:42:00.001+11:00

Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, developed a framework of five elements that define emotional intelligence:Self-Awareness: Self-aware people understand their emotions and don't let their feelings rule them. They're confident – because they trust their intuition and don't let their emotions get out of control. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and they work on these areas so they

The Value of Visioning - Preparing for 2011!

2010-11-20T16:55:00.001+11:00

How quickly the year has gone! Now is a perfect time to reflect on the year so far and to think about planning for success in 2011. A great tool for capturing our goals is a vision board. A vision board (also known as a mind treasure map or self mapping) is a collage of pictures, affirmations and concepts of goals, used as a visual reminder of what it is you would like to achieve. A vision

"Fit your own mask before assisting others"

2010-11-20T16:07:00.001+11:00

I was at a conference recently and one of the topics was workforce wellness. I really connected with the analogy of "fitting your own mask before helping others..." How can we serve others, if we, ourselves are not well? Especially in the health and human services fields! The (monetary) costs of sickness and lost time to businesses are well known. Our workplace programs must be reflective of

Managing up line, do I have to!

2010-03-25T15:51:00.001+11:00

I never as a new manager ever contemplated that I would need to manage up line as well as down line. Being young and naive it came as a big surprise that I could not rely on my up line manager to be reliable, mature and consistent in their approach with me. I soon learnt that managing up line was as much a part of my management skills repertoire as managing my staff. So what does managing up

Creating ideal personal and professional relationships

2010-03-12T12:38:00.001+11:00

Its hard to believe that the catch phrase for this book can really be achievable. What is an ideal personal or professional relationship? This book is written simply and clearly for the novice. It will help you get a basic grasp of the communication styles evident within the human race. We are obviously combinations of the four represented but clearly have one or two more evident in

Exceptional Meetings: Is that possible?

2010-02-11T22:53:00.001+11:00

Meetings are used as a communication method for management. However the first question you ask yourself is, can the same information be covered in a memo, e-mail or brief report? If yes, then avoid having a meeting. If no, then Clarify objective(s) of the meeting, usually discussing, informing or deciding a topic/issue at meetings Develop your agenda in line with your objectives, usually a list

Managing bullying in the workplace

2010-02-10T22:39:00.001+11:00

Bullying is defined as repeated unreasonable behaviour directed towards an individual, which is perceived as humiliating, threatening, and victimising. This is not to be tolerated in the workplace. Unfortunately, adults resort to verbal and psychological abuse rather than physical abuse. This can make it difficult for managers to clarify the issues with a "he said she said" stand-off. The

Resilience: Improving your stress management.

2010-02-10T21:45:00.000+11:00

Resilience is defined as the ability to recover quickly from depression or discouragement, to bounce back, buoyancy. Emotional resilience is partially inborn, but it can (and should) be learned and developed. As leaders and managers we are not exempt from life’s challenges. To handle challenges, grow from adversity, and turn negative situations into positive ones, there are several strategies you

Is change really as good as a holiday?

2010-02-06T10:47:00.000+11:00

Have you ever unveiled a new plan that involves change, where you were so excited about it only to meet resistance? Some people can be gripped by fear of the unknown. Questions like 'What does this mean for me now?' racing through their minds. It's unsettling and in some cases people loose motivation and shut down. The secret then is to anticipate these issues. Identify the drivers and the

Be an avid reader to improve your understanding of self, others and the world

2010-02-05T08:58:00.000+11:00

Why read? Prof. A.C. Grayling, in a review of ‘A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel’ that was published in Financial Times had said, "To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries." Reading enriches life in many ways. It nourishes the mind, gives food for

Curious? How much do you think like a leader versus a manager?

2010-02-04T09:11:00.001+11:00

I subsribe to Dr. A. J. Schuler's news letters. Dr. A. J. Schuler is an expert in leadership and organizational change. To find out more about his programs and services, visit http://www.schulersolutions.com/ or call (703) 370-6545. Dr. A. J. Schuler has developed a self test to help you stem your curiousity. Honestly answer the following fifteen True or False questions. Then follow the link at

Mind Tools Newsletter 146: How Well Do You MANAGE?

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000+11:00

This is a useful resource to manage the skills you need for an excellent career in management. Subscribe to Mind Tools. James Manktelow and Rachel Thompson have created http://www.mindtools.com/ with their vision to provide "Essential skills for an excellent career!" In the latest newsletter, James and Rachel provide a quiz "How Good Are Your Management Skills?" and then guide you to the mind

Leadership or Management: is there a difference?

2010-02-02T20:50:00.002+11:00

Is there a difference between a being a manager and being a leader? The short answer is YES. The fundamental difference between being a manager or leader is the way they motivate the people who work for or follow them. This then sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do. In essense managers have subordinates and leaders have followers. Managers: are given a position of authority by

Be a healthy leader: 10 Steps 10 Weeks in 2010!

2010-02-02T10:40:00.001+11:00

January is over. Did you make New Years Resolutions? Have you kept to them? Well I know how hard it is to stick to loosing weight. I am confronted daily with the concern that if I am someone others are to emulate in leadership then what example am I to them by not taking care of myself. As part of Australia’s Healthy Weight Week (January 24-31, 2010) the Dietitians Association of Australia is

Welcome! Challenge yourself, be exceptional

2010-01-30T18:56:00.005+11:00

Do you find yourself in a position of responsibilty and feel unprepared and under resourced? Have you ever wondered why, in leadership, some people inspire you to achieve and others do not? Are you constanly challenged to excel in how you manage or lead others? Do you want to be a person others want to emulate? Do you want to motivate others to engage and change? Do you want to stop repeating the