No pain, no gain?

Sometime in the 1500s, an English poet named Robert Herrick used the phrase “no pain, no gain” in his writings. He was conveying the idea that if you don’t work really hard at something, you won’t benefit from it. A good, noble phrase from a well-respected poet of his day.

But does it still apply today? Some times we are so use of thinking one way that we forget to challenge what we “know,” and miss what is right in front of our eyes. . .

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How to create a positive work culture

Today I’m sharing what you can do to encourage and sustain a positive culture which plays an important role in the workplace. Setting the standard for a positive culture should be a major focus for leaders in any organization. Here are a few strategies for creating and maintaining a positive work culture. They are based on common threads running throughout published research, scholarly articles, and my own experience in organizations.

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How a Positive Attitude affects your bottom line

Setting the standard for a positive corporate culture should be a major focus for leaders in any organization. When employees are in a positive environment, they are more likely to perform better and contribute more. Creating something positive and upbeat within the organization will contribute greatly to organizational effectiveness and success.

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Relationship Building Recipe

Relationship building is one of the most important leadership activity you can engage on. Your influence goes only as far as the quality of your relationships. The key word for building those relationships is genuine. The only connections that work are the ones with people you truly care about. Do you care enough to build relationships?

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When to keep your mouth shut

Some leaders have a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Can you imagine how many problems you could avoid or easily deal with if you keep your mouth shut? Today we are going to see when it pays to follow this sage advice: “If you’re wondering whether or not you should keep your mouth shut– you should.”

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Peace

The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution 36/37, the General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.” Are you contributing to building a Culture of Peace?

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Can leaders be kind?

Researchers have long studied the impact kindness can have on our own happiness--which seems like it would improve our ability to lead. Research explicitly proves that being kind to others makes us happier. And happy people at work are 12 percent more productive than unhappy people.  Can kindness at work also elevate your leadership? Here are three ways in which simple kindness could bring you more success as a leader at work.

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Equality

Equality doesn't mean same, or equal. Equality doesn't guarantee me a starting position on YouTube. Equality means equality of access, the opportunity to do my best without being disqualified for irrelevant reasons. For leaders this means you don't have to treat everyone in an identical manner. But you have to be equally fair with everyone and treat them with dignity.

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Simplify!

It is said that simplicity is the virtue of removing the extraneous to reveal the essence.

The beginning of August is National Simplify Your Life Week. Entrepreneurs and business professionals can use this period to streamline their work and home life. That's because simplicity is a test of whether you're clear about your priorities.

Our immediate environment is a reflection of our mindset - a neat and organized office reflects the discipline with which we approach our vocation. Clutter, on the other hand, betrays our sloppiness. Today I’m sharing 3 suggestions on how to simplify. 

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Clarity for Change

We started the month of July sharing 3 obstacles to change: Negativity, Exclusion, and Confusion. Then followed up with how to turn Negativity into Positivity, and Exclusion into Inclusion. Today we are sharing why clarity is important for change and how to have clarity instead of confusion. 

A lack of clarity makes us feel uncertain, so rather than risk making a mistake, the natural human response is to say 'NO'! Learn how to use clarity for change.

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Inclusion

Traditionally, many organizations think of the term inclusion as part of their diversity efforts. I want to share what Federick Miller and Judith Katz, Ed.D — who did a joint presentation at an Organizational Development Network Conference a few years back —  consider inclusion to be. They see inclusion as an inclusive value system that needs to become part of the organizational culture.

As a leader you are responsible for helping people feel included, to feel part of the “we” that forms the organization. Today we’ll share Inclusion’s three main components:

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How to turn Negativity into Positivity

Negativity is one of the main roadblocks to personal and organizational change. Negativity can work as a virus “infecting” everybody. Today we are going to see how you can conquer negativity by encouraging and sustaining a positive culture that promotes positive attitudes and feelings. Organizations that encourage a culture of positivity, flourish. Here are a few strategies for creating and maintaining a positive work culture.

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3 Obstacles that can derail your change efforts

If you are trying to implement any kind of change, for yourself or for your organization, and are having a hard time doing so, this post is especially for you.

As I go into different organizations a common complaint I hear is how much people resist change. Do you also think change would be a lot easier if there were no resistance to it?  

Today we talk about how eliminating 3 obstacles can greatly improve the success of change.

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