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The Most Overlooked Part of Difficult Conversations? Location, Location, Location.

Let's Grow Leaders

Difficult Conversations: It’s not just WHAT you say, BUT WHERE you say it If youve ever been blindsided by feedback via Slack, had your stomach drop at a cryptic text from your boss, oryes, it happensbeen let go over Zoom, youre not alone. One of the most common complaints I hear about difficult conversations is where they are held. We talk a lot about what to say in a difficult conversation, and how to say itbut we dont talk enough about where that conversation should happen.

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The Book That Hit Me Hard This Year.

Rich Gee Group

One book that punched me in the gut this past year? Meditations For Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. My godson, Will, gave it to me, and I voraciously tore through it in two days. Its short, powerful, and cuts right to the bone. Burkeman has this uncanny ability to make you stop, breathe, and realize that youre not here to do everything - youre here to do what matters.

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Personal Courage: How to Focus on What You Want (Not What You Fear)

Let's Grow Leaders

Practical Ways to Summon a Bit More Personal Courage You want more personal courage. You want to take that bold step, make the big decision, or speak up when it matters. But then fear creeps in. What if it goes wrong? What if you fail? What if people judge you? If that sounds familiar, youre in good company Fear is natural. Its wired into your brain to keep you safe.

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Red Flags at Work: Recognizing Problems and Delivering the Bad News

Leading Blog

I N MY early managerial days, I would often ask my bosses and peers how they learned the skill of delivering bad news. Almost always, their answer was: You will learn it over time, There is no compression algorithm for experience, or some variation of needing to put in the time. Granted, experience is one of the best teachers, but I have discovered there are tactics that can be learned so you dont have to navigate without help.

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Future-Proof Your Talent Pipeline

Get ready for the future of business. As HR navigates an ongoing labor shortage, leaders need stronger, more adaptable recruiting strategies. Do you have the tools you need to build a talent pipeline that drives sustainable business growth?

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Evaluating Leadership Potential: Beyond Performance Metrics

N2Growth Blog

Identifying and promoting leaders is one of the most consequential decisions an organization can make. However, many organizations make the mistake of equating high performance with leadership potential. Effective leadership requires a unique set of skills, including emotional intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to inspire others. This article explores how organizations can distinguish between performance and leadership potential and adopt structured approaches to identify the right cand

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The Power of a Verbal Yes in Driving Team Alignment

Next Level Blog

Anyone who has ever flown in the exit row knows the drill. Just before takeoff, the flight attendant stands in the aisle, asks everyone to take their ear buds out, and make eye contact as the attendant asks, Are you aware that youre sitting in an exit row and are you willing and able to assist in an emergency, including opening the exit door and assisting other passengers?

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Leading Thoughts for March 27, 2025

Leading Blog

I DEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Bob Rosen on uncertainty: Uncertainty can become our undoing if we are not open to whats around the corner, whether new ideas and experiences or the latest resentments or disappointments. During a state of uncertainty, we must learn to be comfortable with being vulnerable.

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I Thought I Knew How to Listen—Then I Learned Radical Listening

Leadership Freak

Radical listening is the heart of leadership. How many aspects of leadership are made worse by listening? Not many. Ive been learning to listen all my life. If you think listening is easy, you arent doing it.

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Shifting Mindsets to Compete in an Ecosystem-Driven World

Innovation Excellence

GUEST POST from Greg Satell In 1980 Harvard professor Michael Porter published Competitive Strategy, which recommended that firms create advantage by driving efficiencies throughout the value chain and mastering competitive forces by maximizing bargaining power. These concepts drove corporate thinking for decades.

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29 People Who Taught Us Life Lessons In Courage, Integrity And Leadership

Eric Jacobson

The 29 profiles you will read in Robert L. Dilenschneiders new book, Character , are about people who are exceptional exemplars of character. Theyre inspirational because they used their abilities at their highest levels to work for causes they believed in. Because of character, they influenced the world for good. The dictionary defines character as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual, the distinctive nature of something, the quality of being individual in an interesting

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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How AI Can Help Scientists Make Breakthroughs

The Horizons Tracker

Among the many fields where AI is supposed to have a positive impact, few hold as much promise as science. Indeed, it’s notable that the Nobel prizes for both physics and chemistry went to leading figures from the AI community. The hope is not new, of course, and in 2019 researchers from Carnegie Mellon showcased how they believed AI could support scientific research.

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7 Things People Want from Leaders

Leadership Freak

Most things people want from leaders benefit everyone. Get out of leadership if you dont care what people want from you. Leadership is about people. Learn to adapt to people, but dont lose yourself. Balance responsiveness with conviction. Here are 7 things people want from leaders.

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How to Live Forever

Frank Sonnenberg Online

In todays world, were inundated with tips on health, wellness, and longevity. While immortality may be unattainable, you can still leave a lasting impact that keeps your memory alive allowing you to live forever in the hearts and minds of others. Have you considered your legacy? What would you like your epitaph to say? You might think, Who cares? I wont be here to see it.

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Seven Ways To Be A Collaborative Leader

Eric Jacobson

Edward M. Marshall 's book, Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers how to be a collaborative leader. Marshall says that there are seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs.

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5 Ways to Improve DE&I in the Workplace

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical for an organization’s success. And companies that take bold action to help ensure an inclusive workplace will win every time. Discover how your company can create a culture that celebrates DE&I while achieving higher revenue and growth.

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6 Overlooked Leadership Skills To Run Meetings That People WANT To Attend

Let's Grow Leaders

Episode 296: Are you running meetings that drive real resultsor just draining everyone’s time and energy? Lets be honest: no one hates meetingsthey hate the ones that feel pointless. If your teams meetings often end with vague action items, low engagement, or zero follow-through, its not just frustratingits hurting your leadership credibility.

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Positive ESG Messages Can Backfire

The Horizons Tracker

Its become common for companies to show off their social responsibility. Google highlights its solar-powered data centers, Apple talks about using recycled materials, and Walmart mentions its support for local communities. But new research from Berkeley Haas shows that these positive messages can backfire. The study finds that when companies promote their good deeds, it can trigger negative memories in consumers, reducing support for policies that help businesses, especially in a crisis.

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12 Toxic Behaviors to Avoid at all Cost

Leadership Freak

You can do many things right, but one destructive behavior pollutes them all. Toxic behaviors poison teams. Eliminating destructive behaviors lifts your potential. Keep the good. Jettison the bad. Here's my list of 12 toxic behaviors you must avoid. Which three are the worst?

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Why Your Employees Don’t Trust You—The Brutal Truth

Lead from Within

If your employees dont trust you, the problem isnt themits you. A Gallup study found that only one in three employees strongly trust their leadership, and thats no accident. Leaders who assume their title alone commands loyalty set themselves up for failure. Trust comes from consistency, transparency, and respect. Without it, leadership is nothing more than a title.

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No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Drama, End Entitlement and Drive Big Results

Speaker: Cy Wakeman, M.S., CSP, President, Reality-Based Leadership

Most HR leadership philosophies are grounded in two completely faulty assumptions — “change is hard” and “engagement drives results.” Those beliefs have inspired expensive attempts to keep change from being disruptive to employees. What these engagement programs actually do is create and reinforce feelings of victim-hood and leave employees unprepared to adapt to real changes that are necessary for the health and profitability of their enterprises.

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Business Growth Is A Leadership Issue. Not A Sales Issue.

Eric Jacobson

Only you , as a senior leader, have the power to direct your company to continuous and sustainable success, says Scott K. Edinger , author of the book, The Growth Leader. Growth is a leadership issue, not a sales issue, he adds. His book explains why that is true. And why the relationship that executives and leaders have with the sales organization is among the most important elements of growth leadership.

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What is the biggest challenge you face when delivering difficult feedback?

thoughtLEADERS, LLC

Our reader poll today asks: What is the biggest challenge you face when delivering difficult feedback? I get emotional too easily 5.98% I have a hard time separating the behavior from the person 18.91% I struggle to offer concrete behavior change suggestions 10.94% I soften the message too much and the feedback doesnt land 47.76% Something else 16.41% Dont Soft-Peddle Feedback.

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Research Explores How The Philippines Manages Emigration

The Horizons Tracker

Each year, more than a million Filipinos leave the country to work abroad, a trend that concerns the Philippine government. Migration has long been a key part of the countrys economy, with around 10 million Filipinos now living overseas. Many go abroad temporarily to earn money and send it home, while others leave for good. To manage this migration, the Philippines set up several government agencies in the 1980s.

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Delegate Like a Brave CEO

Leadership Freak

It's time for another great book giveaway on Leadership Freak! "No More 24/7" CEOs enable businesses to run efficiently when they arent there. Business owners burn out when they constantly work in the business instead of on it. They end up overwhelmed, stagnant, and unable to grow. Catherine Roe is giving away 20 copies of her book!

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Innovation: Five Signs You Might Be Faking It

Every company wants to be a leader in innovation, but how can you tell if your company is really innovating or just going through the motions? See the 5 signs you might be faking innovation and what to do if you are.

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Narrative Leadership: The Power of Stories to Navigate Uncertainty and Retain Top Talent

Decker Communication

When a senior leader entered the all-hands meeting at a major pharmaceutical company, he faced a room of scientists whose research project had just been shelved after two years of work. The air was thick with the disappointment that follows a clinical trial failure, that weighty moment when data crushes hope. Instead of dissecting their situation using spreadsheets and timelines, the leader did something unexpected: he told a story.

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The Science Behind Employee Happiness And Organizational Performance

Eric Jacobson

Confusion often abounds as to what workplace wellbeing actually is and what it entails, explain the authors of the new book, Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters: The Science Behind Employee Happiness and Organizational Performance. Workplace wellbeing is how we feel at work and about our work, share Jan-Emmanuel De Neve and George Ward. It has evaluative, affective, and eudaimonic components.

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FBI warning: North Korean hackers may be your newest hires

HR Digest

The rise of remote work has reshaped how companies operate. But with this shift comes a chilling new risk. One that would see your company employing North Korean hackers. Recent warnings from the FBI spotlight a growing threat in America. Hackers from North Korea are now posing as legitimate remote workers to infiltrate US employers. This is no longer a cybersecurity scare story.

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Is Leadership The Key Ingredient For Teams To Succeed?

The Horizons Tracker

In our increasingly complex world, it’s crucial that teams are able to communicate and collaborate effectively. Fundamental to a team’s success is good leadership, but in a world in which teams can be in-person, virtual, and everything in between, leadership is far from straightforward. Research from Rutgers highlights the key role leaders play in the success of a team, with the researchers discovering that leaders were often the biggest predictor of team effectiveness than any other

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10 HR Metrics for 2025: HR Data Toolkit

The right HR metrics can illuminate hidden trends, justify decisions to the C-suite, and give you an edge in this unpredictable economy. Download Paycor’s guide and learn how to calculate your: Cost-per-Hire Total Financial Impact of Absences Voluntary Turnover Rate And more!

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Two Questions Your Boss Needs to Hear

Leadership Freak

Everyone asks, How can I get the boss on my side? Its the wrong question. Questions have direction. Where are your questions taking you? Here are two questions your boss needs to hear. Curiosity is influential.

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Job Design as Innovation Strategy

Innovation Excellence

How Complex Problem-Solving Creates Automation Champions GUEST POST from Robyn Bolton Imagine a manufacturing company. On the factory floor, machines whirl and grind, torches flare up as welding helmets click closed, and parts and products fall off the line and into waiting hands or boxes, ready to be shipped to customers.

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How To Be A Radical Listener To Create True Connections

Eric Jacobson

I just read the best book I have ever read about how to be a great listener. It is called Radical Listening by authors Prof. Christian Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener. This book will expertly guide you to move from being an active listener to becoming a radical listener. Radical listening is a profound practice that moves beyond simply hearing words to actively co-creating meaning.

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Building Your Leadership Brand: A Beginner’s Guide to Defining Your Leadership

The Center For Leadership Studies

Building Your Leadership Brand: A Beginner’s Guide to Defining Your Leadership Whether you’ve actively cultivated a leadership approach or you work on instinct, your brand exists in the minds of others. It influences and potentially enhances your ability to connect with and inspire those around you. Intentionally crafting a positive leadership brand has the power to boost nearly every aspect of your role as a leader.

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!