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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

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

“It’s not a good time.” This is a common response when it comes to personal 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 powerful course

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 today. His speech and how he delivers it are a fantastic example of influence.

“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

Whether the occasion is a new year, a new job, or a renewed sense of commitment and enthusiasm, 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 you to be the best leader you can be!

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 2020 a great year. People who value growth and personal

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

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.

I’ve been helping leaders, sales people, and individual contributors develop and strengthen their ability to influence for 24 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 with

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

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

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

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,

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 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 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 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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Be very clear about what you want. Executives more than any other

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!”

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,

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emotional Intelligence is the key differentiator that sets the best leaders apart from the rest. Emotional Intelligence accounts for nearly 90% of the differences between star performers and average performers in leadership positions.” Daniel Goleman This isn’t to say that IQ isn’t important; it is. There is a certain level of intellectual ability required for

“ 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

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

“… 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

“…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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.