Listening as a Gateway to Influence
The presentation you thought you nailed didn’t get the buy-in you anticipated. You didn’t understand why your boss wasn’t thrilled with your results on the project because you thought you did it just the way he asked. The meeting you had with your direct report left you feeling frustratedhe just didn’t listen. Did you? Influencing
Neighborly Standoff
We all face highly emotional situations from time to time personally and professionally. Your approach impacts the communication throughout the situation, the relationships of the people involved, and long-term outcomes. Do you see yourself in either approach in the situation between these two neighbors? The situation Shortly after Trent moved into his dream home, he
Are You In A Hurry To Leave 2020 Behind?
Before putting 2020 behind you… There are a lot of people anxious to put 2020 behind them and start fresh in 2021. There’s nothing wrong with that, but before you leave 2020 in the dust, take the time to find and assimilate the lessons from 2020, so you can use them next year. One of
15 Questions To Reflect on For Growth This Year
Reflection is essential to growth and development. Whether you call it a post-mortem, a debrief, or review, you do it because you know that it provides an opportunity to learn from an experience, situation, or interaction with someone and apply what you learned to make 2021 a great year. People who value growth and personal
7 ways to Reduce Zoom Fatigue
If your response to an invite for a video meeting is an audible groan, you’re not alone. Video meetings are valuable tools that help us stay connected and improve communication in many situations. On the other hand, attending too many video meetings can deplete your energy. Before the pandemic, I couldn’t go a week without
Influence, Optimism, and Leading Through The Pandemic
Is the pandemic testing your optimism? Leading through a pandemic is an enormous challenge. To get to the other side, leaders need to leverage their influence skills to set the emotional tone for their team lead into unchartered territory provide the information people need in a way they will hear it The ability to influence
8 Reasons People Disengage
Consider your top employee, that person you’d hate to see leave. What would the impact of losing that person have on productivity, customers, and revenue? While some people quit and leave a company, others quit and stay. In other words, they disengage. According to Gallup, about 70% of American workers are disengaged. Can you prevent
5 Tips When Influencing Executives
Do you need to influence up? Influencing others is a critical skill for anyone in a leadership position. You may influence peers, your team, vendors, customers, and, of course, executives. Although the foundations of influence apply to all audiences, the five tips below will help you influence executives. 1. Clearly state what you want Executives,
4 Pillars of Emotional Intelligence
The ability to understand and work with others sets the best leaders apart and leads to success – that is where emotional intelligence comes in. Leaders who believe they can succeed by relying soley on their intellect and years of experience are missing a huge opportunity. Each of the 4 Pillars of Emotional Intelligence CAN
You Can’t Do This! How Your Inner Dialogue Is Holding You Back
Imagine putting hours into preparing for a presentation, managing your nerves so you could deliver your message, and then getting the following feedback: “You sucked!” “You can’t do this.” “That was awful!” Most of us would be horrified if that happened and can’t imagine hearing those comments from their audience. The thing is, people I
6 Ways Using Humor Can Help You Influence
Are Your Presentations Putting People To Sleep? We’ve all sat through boring presentations that leave us tuning out or checking our devices. Humor is a powerful tool you can use to make sure people listen when you speak. Some people tell me that they can’t use humor because their topic isn’t funny. I agree that
The steep cost of “It’s not a good time”
“It’s not a good time.” This is a common response when it comes to personal & professional development. It’s easy to put it off in favor of urgent tasks. The thing is, there will never be a good time. Consider this scenario: You want to develop your ability to influence, and your peers recommended a
Tom Hanks: A Lesson in Influence
Click the video above to listen to Tom Hanks Golden Globes speech. We see the world through the lens of influence at Klassen Performance Group. Whether polishing our own influence or helping our clients develop theirs, we focus on influence every day. I came across the video of Tom Hanks’ Golden Globes speech recently. His
For effective influence, watch your tone
“Shut up!” Would you be offended or excited if somebody yelled that to you? You may be thinking, “Well, it depends on how they said it.” Exactly! Imagine these two scenarios: Scenario 1: Two friends, Anika and Maria, are talking about the new job Maria just landed. Maria tells Anika that not only did she
10 Things Successful Leaders Will Do This Year
Whether the occasion is a new year, a new job, a renewed sense of commitment & enthusiasm, or adjusting to new work flows amidst a global pandemic, the most successful leaders know there are habits, values, and best practices that will help them achieve results. We’ve compiled an updated 10 point checklist to help guide
Come On…Let’s Dance
I’ve never liked dancing in public. As a former drummer in my high school band, I can keep a beat; I just never learned how to dance. Although I’m not in many situations where dancing is an option, I always decline invitations letting people know that I don’t dance. I was at a wedding last
Big Goals Can Bring Big Growth
What was your last big goal that caused significant growth in you? Big goals force us to venture into new territory, and we often learn something about ourselves and our teams along the way. My big goal for this summer was to climb a mountain 14,000 feet or higher, known as a “14-er” in Colorado.
5 Myths To Bust For Maximum Impact & Maximum Influence
I’ve been helping leaders, sales people, and individual contributors develop and strengthen their ability to influence for over 25 years. The motivations behind the companies and individuals that reach out to us for help with influence are varied — some people want to improve their ability to give presentations no matter their audience, others struggle
Transitioning with Purpose – Introduction
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction to Transitioning With Purpose Part 1 – Clearly Define Your Purpose Part 2 – Cultivate Optimism Part 3 – Strategically Build Relationships Transitioning With Purpose Personal and professional transitions often fail because people haven’t, or don’t take time to, prepare for success. There are many reasons for this, including: They
Ride Your Own Kind of Horse
My son, Justin has always made his own path. He knows what he wants and he enthusiastically goes after it, often forging a new path in the process. Justin was one of two high school students from the U.S. selected to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Morocco. When he sent this picture
Beware of Excuses that can Sneak up on you
I needed an energy boost this afternoon, so I strapped on my roller blades for an exercise break. As a competitive person, I typically race against the clock, and today was no exception. I was riding along at a good clip when the path took me through the woods. The path was littered with sticks,
Am I Optimistic? Start With These Questions
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction Part 1 – Clearly Define Purpose Part 2 – Cultivate Optimism How Optimistic Are You: Questions to Provide Insight Part 3 – Strategically Build Relationships How optimistic are you? As valuable as optimism is during transitions and beyond, it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. People often think they are more
Transitioning With Purpose – Questions to Help Uncover Your Purpose
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction Part 1 – Clearly Define Purpose Questions to Help You Clearly Define Your Purpose Part 2 – Cultivate Optimism Part 3 – Strategically Build Relationships If you’d like to uncover and clearly define your purpose but don’t know how to get started, you can begin by reflecting on the ten
Transitioning With Purpose Part 1 – Defining Your Purpose
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction Part 1: Clearly Define Your Purpose Part 2 – Cultivate Optimism Part 3 – Strategically Build Relationships Clearly Define Your Purpose A purpose provides a sense of value and meaning that guides us through different chapters of life. A clear purpose reflects your reason for being and thus generates motivation
Transitioning With Purpose Part 3 – Relationships
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction Part 1 – Clearly Define Purpose Part 2 – Cultivate Optimism Part 3: Strategically Build Relationships Strategically Build Relationships Nobody does it alone. Success in anything requires the help and support of others, and too often we take these relationships for granted. Personal and professional relationships change during transitions. A
Transitioning With Purpose Part 2 – Optimism
Transitioning With Purpose Series Introduction Part 1 – Clearly Define Purpose Part 2: Cultivate Optimism Part 3 – Strategically Build Relationships Cultivate Optimism Optimism is the tendency to focus on the positive aspects of situations and people, identify opportunity others may not see, and generally expect positive outcomes. Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring the negative; it
What Makes a Habit? Three Essential Components
Our first article in this 2-part series on habits focused on leveraging the power of habits to achieve New Year’s resolutions. In this article, we break down the components of a habit and give four strategies to help you overcome possible challenges. Components of a Habit A habit is an automatic behavior that initially requires
Reviving your New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions fail 91% of the time. They are a great catalyst for change, but on their own they fall short of driving lasting results. If you are like most people, you probably have less excitement and commitment around your resolutions than you did when you first made them. However, you can harness your
Stressed? Distracted? Recharge With Microbreaks
We live in a fast-paced world, constantly attending to one distraction after another while trying to get real work done. Trying to keep up can be exhausting. When we don’t pay attention to our energy levels and take the time to recharge, our productivity, health, and relationships suffer. When I talk with people about managing
3 Ways You May Be Undermining Your Influence
You influence others all day long during meetings, presentations, and interpersonal conversations. Don’t let these three mistakes keep you from getting the results you need. Influence Mistake #1: Focusing only on content Content is only part of the equation. I work with a lot of people who have great content that simply isn’t heard because
Would you rather be hit by a garbage truck?
A recent participant who attended Maximum Influence said that she “hated” getting up in front of groups to speak. She told the group that as she pulled out of her driveway that morning, she was so preoccupied with the idea of getting up in front of a group that she almost pulled out in front
Yesterday’s Advice is Today’s Wisdom
As I prepared to watch my daughter graduate from college last year, I couldn’t help but think back to my own college graduation. Back then I was so focused on the career I wanted that I didn’t take time to appreciate the college experience. College was a means to an end, so I had accelerated
Floored by the TSA! Emotional Intelligence in Action
Early one morning, my family and I were at the airport awaiting a vacation sorely needed by all. Spirits were high until we glanced at a congested security line. Ongoing delays left many travelers frustrated, and, when 2 of our bags were selected for additional screening, I had a nagging feeling I would soon join
Rebuilding Damaged Relationships
We all make mistakes from time to time that damage personal and professional relationships. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time or in the wrong way can have lasting negative impacts. Maybe you can relate to one of these situations: During a disagreement with a co-worker Liz yelled, “I can never count on you!”
Using Emotional Intelligence To Avoid Conflict Over Thanksgiving
Many people I’ve worked with over the last few weeks have expressed concern about Thanksgiving and Holiday gatherings this year. No matter where they turn, it seems, it’s been difficult to escape continual chatter about multiple current events – including politics, and emotions across the board have been running especially high. The good news is,
5 Ways to Get Your Ideas Heard in Meetings
Have you ever presented an idea in a meeting that was met with silence only to have someone a short time later present a nearly identical idea and receive an enthusiastic response? When that happens, people feel understandably frustrated or even marginalized. There are many reasons that this happens, but often it boils down to
Emotional Intelligence Drives High Performance
Emotional Intelligence is the key differentiator that sets the best leaders apart from the rest. The benefits gained from continuing to develop your emotional intelligence are far reaching and touch every aspect of a leaders role. From personal relationships and influence to earning potential and career advancement, increasing your emotional intelligence will be an investment
3 Strategies to Stop Inter-Team Conflict
In one company I work with, I spent time developing both retail leaders and customer service leaders. I found a consistent pattern as I worked with both groupsthey blamed each other for the same customer service problems. Not only did they blame each other during discussions in our workshops, they did it when talking to
4 Leadership Behaviors That Erode Accountability
I facilitated a discussion on accountability recently with a group of 11 leaders. We talked about how a high-accountability team impacts an organization vs a low-accountability team. They made a lot of good points during the discussion and then they began talking about the challenges with firing poor performers. Interestingly, they immediately began to complain
3 Easy Ways To Foster Mindfulness
Mindfulness increases the ability to focus and concentrate – two things many find challenging in this high-tech, fast-paced world. Don’t be deterred from practicing mindfulness because you think it is complicated or time consuming. Start with 3 easy ways to focus your attention and foster mindfulness. Periodically take 5 minutes to practice focusing on what
PowerPoint Tips For A Leadership Audience
As I work with leaders to increase their ability to influence, PowerPoint questions inevitably come up. Following the 10-step checklist below will help you create slides that effectively support your presentation with a leadership audience. I can’t stress enough that PowerPoint is a visual aid and should not become the presentation. The impact comes from
Lessons From My #1 Influencer
Every year I work with hundreds of leaders helping them become more influential in a variety of settings. I am frequently asked about people who have influenced me over the years. Although the list is long, identifying my top influencer is easy. It’s my dad. My dad has had an impressive career as a business
5 Coping Strategies Using Resilience
Resilience is Your Paddle When You’re Up the Proverbial Creek There are times in all of our lives when we find ourselves up a creek without a paddle. Some of the setbacks that knock us off course are relatively minor while others are devastating. Regardless of the setback that put you up that creek, one
Harness the Power of Gratitude
From Thanksgiving to New Years, many exist in a constant state of chaos. There are parties to plan, presents to buy, and family to visit. All the while, we have to meet the expectations of work. It is easy to lose sight of what we are grateful for. The stresses of this season make it
Millennials Make Fantastic Training Participants
A common belief about Millennials is that their attention span is so short that they can’t stay engaged in training without videos, games, and lots of breaks. While I believe those can be effective ways to engage, I found that solid content with engaging delivery can also be very effective. I facilitated a Maximum Influence
When Confidence isn’t Enough
It’s essential to focus on credibility when working with leaders to help them increase their ability to influence others, both formally and informally. It isn’t a surprise to anyone that credibility is necessary for influence, but it isn’t until we dig a little deeper that people realize just how important it is. It is often
4 Ways Stress Can Increase Your Resilience
This is Part Six in our series on Emotional Intelligence. Part 1 – Why it is Essential to Develop Emotional Intelligence Part 2 – Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence Part 3 – Managing Emotions for Success Part 4 – 3 Keys to Social Awareness Part 5 – Relationship Management Like it or not, stress
3 Principles Of Relationship Management For Leaders
This is Part Five of Six in our series on Emotional Intelligence. Part 1 – Why it is Essential to Develop Emotional Intelligence Part 2 – Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence Part 3 – Managing Emotions for Success Part 4 – 3 Keys to Social Awareness There are few things that give leaders a
Meditation Resources
To reduce stress, improve focus, and increase resilience Meditation has been shown to enhance well being and performance in many ways. In the 1970’s, Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard discovered that meditation triggers what he coined as the “relaxation response”, which counterbalances the harmful effects of the stress response. More recent research has uncovered benefits
3 Keys to Social Awareness
This is Part Four of Six in our series on Emotional Intelligence. Part 1 – Why it is Essential to Develop Emotional Intelligence Part 2 – Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence Part 3 – Managing Emotions for Success Consider the following situations: When involved in a negotiation or a high-stakes conversation, are you able
Why we have too few woman leaders
Woman’s equality has come a long way, yet the heads of workplace are still predominantly male. In this Ted Talk Sheryl Sandberg goes over just what the problem is and why she believes it is still happening today. This topic has gained in popularity in recent years, and this talk is rich in real world
Managing Emotions for Success
This is Part Three of Six in our series on Emotional Intelligence Part 1: Why It Is Essential To Develop Emotional Intelligence Part 2: Self-Awareness: The Foundation Of Emotional Intelligence In this third segment of our series, we are focusing on managing emotions. Consider the following three situations: You feel personally attacked by a peer
Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence
This is Part Two of Six in our series on Emotional Intelligence. In our first article in this series, we discussed how emotional intelligence is the primary differentiator between superior and average leaders. This is because emotions contain valuable information that directly impacts our thoughts and actions. If leaders want to leverage this information, they
How Body Language Can Impact Performance
There is compelling research that backs the impact of our body language on our performance. There are some easy, painless ways to give yourself a boost of confidence before going into stressful situations that alters brain chemistry and impacts performance. We discuss this deeper, referencing this video and research, in our Maximum Influence course. Watch
Why it is Essential to Develop Emotional Intelligence
This is the first in a series of six articles from Klassen Performance Group that will focus on giving you specific, practical ways to develop the primary characteristics of emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence is the key differentiator that sets the best leaders apart from the rest. Emotional Intelligence accounts for nearly 90% of the differences
Leaders Cultivate Accountability For Team Success
“ a personal choice to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrate the ownership necessary for achieving desired results – to see it, own it, solve it, and do it.” -Roger Conners- In order for a leader and his or her team to succeed, accountability must be woven into the very fabric of a team
Indicators of Leadership Potential
In the article “Indicators of Leadership Potential” Ram Charan writes about how to identify a high potential leader. He identifies 8 specific characteristics that separate high potential leaders from the average. The leaders I work with are constantly challenged with finding high potential people to add to their team. This article is a nice summary
How To Simplify As Work Becomes More Complex
“… in front of the new complexity of business, the only solution is not drawing boxes with reporting lines. It is basically the interplay. How the parts work together. The connections, the interactions, the synapses. It is not the skeleton of boxes, it is the nervous system of adaptiveness and intelligence. You know, you could
A lesson on Listening, Learning and Leading
“…So now I do that Tuesday morning jump, but it’s not any jump — that was September 11th, 2001. And when we took off from the airfield, America was at peace. When we landed on the drop-zone, everything had changed. And what we thought about the possibility of those young soldiers going into combat as
To Be A Great Leader
“What makes a great leader today? Many of us carry this image of this all-knowing superhero who stands and commands and protects his followers. But that’s kind of an image from another time, and what’s also outdated are the leadership development programs that are based on success models for a world that was, not a
Creating The Leadership Advantage
Fred Fiedler & Martin Chemers said – “The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines the success or failure of an organization”. Research has proven time and again that superior leaders create more satisfied customers, hold on to key people better, and generate higher income for their organizations. Leadership development is taken
50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
Noah Goldstein Ph.D., Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D. I work with hundreds of leaders annually to help them increase their ability to influence. There is often a misconception that if information is presented in a clear, logical way, people will buy into the idea. That simply isn’t enough. Anyone who needs to
7 Proven Tips For More Impactful Conference Calls
Conference calls can be an effective way to conduct meetings, or they can be a complete waste of time. The majority fall somewhere in between. You make an impression in every meeting, including conference calls. What someone hears – or doesn’t hear – creates a lasting impression that can mean the difference between success or
How We Decide
by Jonah Lehrer Whether we’re making a decision or determining the best solution for a problem, we often think our decisions are purely rational. Psychologists have known for a long time that that isn’t the case. “How We Decide” describes the neuroscience of decision making in a practical, relevant, easily digestible way. When we understand
David and Goliath
Underdogs, Misfits, & the Art of Battling Giants Malcolm Gladwell David and Goliath gives a thought-provoking perspective on approaching challenges. Leaders’ perceptions and beliefs often limit how they how they approach challenges. This book tests commonly held beliefs and opens a reader’s to different perspectives. If you’re like me, you’ll repeatedly find yourself saying, “I
Increasing Your Approachability
We are all hardwired with an approach or avoid response. We approach when we feel safe and avoid when we don’t. Our approachability directly impacts the flow of information to us. The more approachable we are, the more likely we are to receive complete information through both formal and informal channels. Are the decisions you make and the
Building the Resilience Needed to Thrive
Resilience is the ability to cope with adversity and adapt to change. It is the number one defense against daily stressors such as deadlines, ever-increasing goals, and the need to stretch every dollar. Resilient people experience less stress and bounce back from setbacks quickly. This allows them to not only be more productive, but to
Adding Value to Your Network
Social media sites have provided a convenient way to stay connected with people personally and professionally. There are many ways to utilize these sites, however the results you get are correlated with the value of the connections you have. It is important to remember that the quantity of connections does not indicate their quality. When
Maximizing the Power of Story
Everyone whose success depends on the ability to influence can benefit from learning how to use the power of story effectively. Whether you are telling the story of your business or illustrating a point, stories are an effective way to engage and relate to your listeners. A well-told story gets attention and drives home points
Innovate or Get Left Behind
The ability to innovate individually, as teams, and as an organization is critical to survival today. To compete, we must continually find and implement new and better ways of serving the customer and staying ahead of the competition. More and more we see individuals, teams, and companies who aren’t innovating replaced by those who are.
Becoming A Champion Of Change
As leaders, it isn’t enough to adapt to change; we need to champion change. We change in response to industry changes, the strategic plan, customer expectations, the economy, inefficiencies, etc. Leaders need to identify the need for change quickly, understand and communicate the business impact, and get buy in at all levels of the organization.