Talk Like a Leader

As we look forward to next year, many people reflect on the past and set goals for the future. This time of year can lead to focusing on specific time frames like the first quarter or the next year. This finite approach can be useful for improving personal and business results, and it is different from how we should approach leadership communication. The goal of leadership communication is more about winning the relationship to get results than it is about winning the point in the moment. Additional Leadership Resources The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Today, Christmas Eve, marks a day when many people will either be with family or about to be with family that they do not see on a regular basis. In family situations where your guard is down a bit, it is easy to slip into old and possibly negative communication approaches that create or amplify conflict. This becomes a perfect time to practice the ideas presented in Talk Like a Leader. Remember, these communication ideas work with family, too. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

This week, I have the honor of speaking with retired SEAL Team 6 member, adventure athlete, and NY Times best selling author Don Mann. Don has long experience in both leading and following other leaders in many varied and, in some cases, extreme situations. He has a great perspective on leadership that I'm excited to share with you. Additional Leadership Resources Learn more about Don Mann. Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Leaders often know exactly what they want done and how they want it done, and telling people what to do is not likely to invite cooperation and enthusiastic engagement. Questions are better than statements for engaging people and inviting them into the conversation. In this episode, I share something my granddaughter taught me and some practical considerations for asking better questions. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Leaders often find themselves in the position of having their motives and intentions misunderstood and misinterpreted. In today's episode, I'll share one specific example of how to overcome potentially negative perceptions people have of you and generalize the idea for application to other negative perception situations. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Finding ways to stay positive, encouraging, and supportive rather than negative, critical, and judgmental of others is a powerful strategy in your leadership communication tool box. One way to develop your ability to stay on the positive side of communication regardless of the circumstances is to develop a consistently grateful perspective. This week, I'm looking at ways to cultivate a grateful mindset so that you can better Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

How you think about your communications with others - your intentions and mindset - will make a big impact on your long-term communication effectiveness. In this episode, Carl Smith and I briefly explore the impact of your communication mindset and how it affects your ability to Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Learn more about Carl Smith. Take our free DISC Assessment. Learn why you should use communication models and why I use DISC Learn more about the DISC Model of Human Behavior Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Unmet expectations - spoken or otherwise - can lead to dissatisfaction and damaged trust. Damaged trust can, in turn, can slow communication and results. Using the DISC model, you can better understand, and manage, expectations in order to build and protect the trust needed to speed both communication and results. Additional Leadership Resources Learn more about Carl Smith. Take our free DISC Assessment. Learn why you should use communication models and why I use DISC Learn more about the DISC Model of Human Behavior Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

How we think about others affects how we interact with them, and how we interact with them often reveals how we think about them. This week, I'm covering three actions we can take towards others that will improve both how we think about them and how we interact with them. Let's discuss the concept of accepting, approving, and appreciating others. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

This episode is the final episode of a 4 episode series looking at the ways each of us communicate and interact with others that can unintentionally create the perception of threat in other people. This week, I'm focusing on both sides of the interactions involving people with Cautious traits. What do people with Cautious traits do that can trigger a threat response in others and what do other people do that can trigger a threat response in people with Cautious traits. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Listen to the previous episodes in this series: Unintentional Threat Triggers for Dominant Style Unintentional Threat Triggers for Inspiring Style Unintentional Threat Triggers for Supportive Style Learn why you should use communication models and why I use DISC Learn more about the DISC Model of Human Behavior Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

This episode is the third of four episodes looking at the ways each of us communicate and interact with others that can unintentionally create the perception of threat in other people. This week, I'm focusing on both sides of the interactions involving people with Supportive traits. What do people with Supportive traits do that can trigger a threat response in others and what do other people do that can trigger a threat response in people with Supportive traits. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Listen to the previous episodes in this series: Unintentional Threat Triggers for Dominant Style Unintentional Threat Triggers for Inspiring Style Learn why you should use communication models and why I use DISC Learn more about the DISC Model of Human Behavior Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

This episode is the second of four episodes looking at the ways each of us communicate and interact with others that can unintentionally create the perception of threat in other people. This week, I'm focusing on both sides of the interactions involving people with Inspiring traits. What do people with Inspiring traits do that can trigger a threat response in others and what do other people do that can trigger a threat response in people with Inspiring traits? Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Listen to the previous episode about Unintentional Threat Triggers for Dominant Style Learn why you should use communication models and why I use DISC Learn more about the DISC Model of Human Behavior Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

We all communicate in ways that "trigger" other people. If you have Dominant style communication traits , you can unintentionally cause a perception of threat for people who don't share this trait with you. If you don't have Dominant traits, you can unintentional trigger a threat response in people who do have those traits. In this episode, I'll cover improved communication strategies from people on both sides of this communication situation. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

We all have an inner voice, and we talk to ourselves. If this voice is negative, it can create problems for you as a leader. This week, we'll consider how you talk to yourself and how you can make that internal dialogue more positive and productive. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

In this episode, I'll package together five conflict resolution strategies in one place. This episode compiles single points I've made in other places into one full package you can use to improve your conflict resolution skills. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Check out a related episode, Three Ways to Deal with an Angry Person. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

There are things that all of us do that subtly and unintentionally create a feeling of threat in other people. When we do that, our communication effectiveness plummets. In this episode, I'll share three places where we can unintentionally "threaten" others so that you can look for these patterns in your communication and replace them with better ones. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Today's episode focuses on written communication and three things to consider (plus a bonus idea or two) before you write your message. As leading in a remote or non-geolocated environment becomes more and more common, considering how we communicate as leaders in writing becomes a more and more important idea. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

While this podcast is titled "Talk Like a Leader," my real intent is to explore all the different ways we can become better communicators. In this episode, I'm looking at the listening side of communication. We'll briefly explore both the barriers we face to become better listeners and the things we can do to listen better. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Inviting other people to share their perspective is something that I love to do on this podcast. This week, my long-time customer, colleague, and friend, Eric Levos joins me to discuss what it means to Talk Like a Leader. Eric is a former First Sergeant in the US Army, and a Leadership and Learning professional with experience in the airline, health insurance, energy, agriculture, and logistics industries. Join me as we learn what Eric has learned about talking like a leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

As a leader, you will communicate with people in many different ways and in many different situations. You'll be in meetings, in coaching conversations, and responding to emails. The general principles of communication apply equally to all of these situations, and the specific approach or technique you use can vary a great deal. In this episode, I'll share with you three things to consider that will help you to choose the best technique for the specific situation. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Leadership expert, Kevin Eikenberry, joins me on this episode to discuss what it means to talk like a leader. Kevin has both deep and broad experience in both leading and helping leaders develop. Listen in as he shares both his perspective on what it means to Talk Like a Leader and practical strategies to do it better. You can learn more from Kevin on his podcast, The Remarkable Leadership Podcast. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

When we interact with other people, observe other people, and think about other people, we can go either positive or negative. If we focus on the negative, we likely experience more of it. If we focus on the positive, we likely experience more of that. In this episode, Guy discusses the power of staying positive in our interactions with others. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Many types of communication that come naturally and easily to us are not necessarily the best or most effective ways to communicate our vision, desires, and expectations. Some things that seem natural and normal actually diminish clarity and communication effectiveness. Today, I'll discuss a way to correct one of these normal and natural communication challenges. The key idea: talk about what you DO want rather than what you DON'T want.

Recently, a listener asked why I use the DISC model and what I think of other models. Great question! In this episode, I'll share my thoughts on the general value of using communication models to become a more effective communicator. I'll also address why I use the DISC model rather than the others. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

In this episode, Guy shares what talking like a leader means to him. After several episodes focused primarily on the skills of leadership communication, Guy shares his perspective on combining the right mindset, habitset, AND skillset to learn how to talk like a leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Many people struggle with apologizing when it could move a difficult situation forward. It's often said that leaders should never apologize and that apology weakens your position. The contrary is actually true more of the time. Apology strengthens your position as a leader. In this episode, Guy discusses both what gets in the way of successful apology and how to apologize in a way that leads to resolution. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

In this episode you'll learn from an experienced manufacturing leader, Tom Butera. Tom has been my friend, colleague, and customer for 16 years now, and I've had the privilege to learn with and from him better ways to lead and communicate. I'm excited that you get the opportunity to hear from this great leader as he shares his perspective on what it means to Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

At some point in your leadership journey, probably at several points, you'll need to deal with a person who is angry. Common natural responses like withdrawing or getting angry typically don't work well. They often result in the person becoming more angry. In this episode, we'll cover three powerful (actually five) strategies you can use to deescalate an angry conversation and move it to resolution. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

You're probably pretty good about what you say when you're with people. You're on your game. You're positive, encouraging, and considerate. The question to consider for this episode is this: What do you say about people when their not around? Are you as positive, encouraging, and considerate? Or, are you more willing to let your frustrations float to the surface so that you go just a bit negative about them. In this episode, Guy will discuss the challenges of going negative on a person who is not present. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Communication and behavior models like the DISC model are great tools for building, communicating with, and inspiring your team. Used appropriately, they can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your communication efforts. Used inappropriately, they can destroy your team and undercut your communication. In this episode, Guy discusses one thing you should definitely NOT do when you use the DISC model or any other behavior, personality, or communication model. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

When experience does not match expectations, people get frustrated, stressed, and angry. Frustrated, stressed, and angry people rarely work with energy and enthusiasm. They seldom bring their best problem solving skills to work with them. What can you do to minimize the risk of people becoming frustrated, stressed, and angry? Learn to manage expectations. Learn how to help people have realistic expectations about the future so that they are not upset when it gets here. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

A common challenge leaders face is the tendency to drift into past focused conversations when trying to solve problems or coach team members. A key skill to develop is the ability to move the conversation to a future focus. In this episode, Guy talks about the importance of shifting to the future in both your thinking and communication. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

When you find yourself in a conflict situation, it is tempting to "go on the attack" to make your point. Winning the argument can take center stage in your mind. And, that approach rarely ends well for either person. In this episode, Guy will explore the idea of trying to relate to your opponent in an effort to find common ground and resolve the conflict rather than cause it to escalate. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

This is the last of five episodes where I discuss the Four E's of Leadership (Engage, Encourage, Equip, and Empower) with my friend and colleague Carl Smith. Carl is a Master Trainer of the DISC model, and he brings a long history of training and coaching leaders to this conversation. In this episode, we explore how to Equip people based on their DISC communication style. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Carl Smith, Master Trainer of the DISC model, returns to continue our conversation about the Four E's of Leadership (Engage, Encourage, Equip, and Empower). In this episode, we first explore the difference between Equipping and Empowering. Then, we discuss how to Equip people based on their DISC communication style. This conversation is the fourth of a series of five conversations. We explore the different ways you can equip with people depending on their DISC style. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

My conversation with Carl continues in this episode. This is the third of five conversations we are having based on one part of our first conversation on this podcast. In this episode, we discuss what each of us is learning as we are recording this series of conversations. We discuss what we are hearing and learning from each other. I hope this episode encourages you to continue seeking and growing as a leader, and to keep learning and searching for better, deeper understanding of basic concepts rather than fall into the trap of "heard that before" or "I already know that." Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Carl Smith, Master Trainer of the DISC model, returns for the second conversation triggered by the conversation Carl and I had the first time he visited. In this episode, we explore how to Engage people based on their DISC communication style. This conversation is the second of a series of five conversations. We will explore the different ways you can engage with people depending on their DISC style. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Carl Smith, Master Trainer of the DISC model, returns for a conversation about how to Encourage people based on their DISC communication style. This conversation is the first of a series of five conversations triggered by the conversation Carl and I had the first time he visited and shared his perspective on what it means to Talk Like a Leader. We will explore the different ways you can offer encouragement depending on the DISC style of the person receiving the message intended to encourage. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Carl Smith is a Master Trainer of the DISC Model of Human Behavior. He has helped leaders at all levels learn better, more effective communication skills for over 20 years. He teaches, trains, coaches, and develops training resources to enable people to become persuasive and influential communicators. He's also my long-time friend, collaborator, and business partner. Join us as we discuss what it means to Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

A critical skill for learning to Talk Like a Leader is seeing a situation and framing your communication from the perspective of the other person. Tools that help you get outside your own perspective so that you can see things from another person's perspective are a great aid both in developing and practicing this skill. The model we typically reference in this podcast is the DISC Model of Human Behavior. In this episode, we'll discuss the basics of the DISC model and how you can use it to Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

It's incredibly tempting to run with what you know before you investigate and inquire. It's easy to fill in gaps in understanding with assumptions based on your past experiences, and it can be disastrous for communication effectiveness with your team. Apply this one idea about questioning what you "know" to be true, and you'll significantly improve your communications. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Collaboration is a big part of team work and joint problem solving. Leading a team meeting, coaching a team member on their performance, setting goals with people, and resolving conflicts are all collaborative problem-solving conversations. Collaboration can be difficult – especially when emotions are high, time is short, or both. Fortunately, there is a pretty simple six-step pattern you can follow to reliably lead to collaborative solutions. In this episode, we'll cover six questions you can ask to lead the conversation successfully through this six-step process. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

In your Leadership journey, you will inevitably have to speak with someone who is irritated or angry. While you can't avoid the situation entirely, you can learn to minimize the risk that you will be the one to aggravate the situation. In this episode, we'll cover three communication strategies that are almost guaranteed to irritate a calm person and fuel the fire for someone who is already upset. We'll also talk about a powerful alternative for turning the situation around. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

When you take a Leadership role, you enter the change game. Change is a constant for people who aspire to lead. If you want to get better and creating change, you'll need to get better at communicating about the change and helping others to both embrace and engage in the change process. By understanding and addressing the emotions that stop change, you can learn how to Talk Like a Leader. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.

Leaders rarely need to sell physical products or services to their teams, and that doesn't mean they don't sell. Instead of physical goods and services, Leaders sell ideas, concepts, commitment, motivation, and focus. Learning to Talk Like a Leader often means learning how to sell, and how you speak – what you speak about and how you say it – often makes the difference between getting buy-in and creating frustration. In this episode, you'll learn a key concept for selling ideas that you can start applying right away. Additional Leadership Resources Take our free DISC Assessment. Download our free report, The First 7 Things to Do When You Get Promoted.