Our reader poll today asks: Which dynamic best describes your organization’s approach to written communications?

• We focus purely on the message and don’t worry about the aesthetics around it. – 31%
• We balance our focus on the message while putting a lot of work into aesthetics. – 51%
  
• We focus mostly on aesthetics of the communication and worry less about message.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Passive-aggression is really challenging to deal with, because it’s so hard to see until it’s too late.

Sometimes people will say they agree with you. They love your idea. They say they’ll do whatever you need and give you all the resources you need to move forward. Then, they simply do nothing and passively resist your efforts. They might not give the resources they commit to or take the actions they said they’ll perform. 

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Learn the benefits of paid leave and how men and women can create a more equitable workplace together.

Today’s post is by W. Brad Johnson, PhD and David G. Smith, PhD, co-authors of FAIR SHARE: How Men and Women Can Create a More Equitable Workplace Together (HBR Press, June 30, 2026).

From World War II through the end of the twentieth century, the workplace was increasingly composed of women.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Internalizing these four aspects of leadership is a great first step in developing your personal leadership philosophy.

When articulating your leadership philosophy, you need to think beyond the leader led diad. A lot of times we get focused on, “Well, this is how I interact with a person and that’s what leadership is about.” As a leader, you need to look at yourself more completely as an individual in a variety of domains.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Stress does more than wear on leaders, it undermines them. What the research on nonverbal cues reveals about trust, and how to close the gap.

Today’s post is by Don Gregori, author of The Emergent Leader: A Guide to Brand Building, Leadership, and Self-Mastery.

The quarter was rough. I was just about to get in front of the team for a town hall, and some bad news was dropped in my lap.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Our reader poll today asks: What is your biggest motivational challenge related to your work?

• I don’t like the subject matter/tasks I work on – 16%
• I don’t like my manager – 10%
• I don’t like my team/teammates – 7%
  
• I don’t get paid enough – 13%
• I don’t like my company’s culture – 13%
  
• I’m not rewarded or noticed for my efforts – 17%
• Something else – 24%

No shortage of motivational challenges.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.