Mike Robbins's Blog, page 13

The Importance of Every Role and Person on the Team

A few months ago, I had a chance to see the wonderful musical Anastasia on Broadway.  I was on a business trip to New York City and brought our ten-year-old daughter Rosie with me.  We got tickets at the last minute, and they happened to be in the front row, which was a new and […]

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Three Team Building Activities That Enhance Trust and Performance
The Important Difference Between Positive and Negative Competition
The Importance of Self-Trust

Five Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment

Negativity can be the downfall of even the most talented teams.  Over the past 18 years as a consultant, I’ve worked with many organizations that had great people, quality products or services, and innovative ideas, but the environment in which they worked was filled with so much negativity, they weren’t able to reach their full […]

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The Important Difference Between Positive and Negative Competition
The Important Benefits of Being Grateful at Work
My New Podcast: Bring Your Whole Self to Work

Three Team Building Activities That Enhance Trust and Performance

Trust is vital to the success of a team and to the health of the culture.  When teams trust one another, they can create a sense of psychological safety, which means the group is safe enough for people to take risks, speak up, make mistakes, resolve conflicts, and be themselves – knowing that they won’t […]

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The Important Difference Between Positive and Negative Competition
Expand Your Capacity for Trust
Trust Yourself

Maybe People Don’t Listen to You Because of Your Self-Righteousness

Self-righteousness is dangerous and damaging to our relationships, our teams, and our ability to communicate and collaborate.  Removing our self-righteousness is a challenging but important thing for us to do as leaders, people, and those who want to positively influence and impact others. This does not mean watering down our opinions or decreasing our passion. […]

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Do You Have Healthy Boundaries?
Are You Threatened By Other People’s Success?
It’s Okay to Disappoint People

How to Bring Your Whole Self to Work

When we stop hiding our true selves and become vulnerable, our work environment is more enjoyable—and productive—for all. Have you ever wanted to speak up about an issue or situation at work, but were afraid to? Or wanted to share something about yourself, but worried people might judge you? Or pretended to understand something professionally […]

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Is it Okay to Cry at Work?
The Challenge and Importance of Inclusion at Work
Are You Bringing Your Whole Self to Work?

Is it Okay to Cry at Work?

Crying is something that many of us have resistance to and judgment about, especially at work. Why is this? A lot of us have been shamed or criticized for crying, or simply coached not to do it. Some of this can be specific to our background, culture, age, industry, position, and other unique factors. And […]

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The Important Benefits of Being Grateful at Work
Are You Bringing Your Whole Self to Work?
Bring Your Whole Self to Work

4 Things to Remember When Giving Feedback

Feedback is such an important instigator of growth. And one of the ways we enhance both our growth mindset and our practical skills is by eliciting and valuing feedback. But feedback can be tricky for a number of reasons. We’ve all had experiences of both giving and receiving feedback that didn’t go well or, in […]

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Remember That We’re All Doing the Best We Can
Get Honest Feedback
Tell Them The Truth

The Important Difference Between Positive and Negative Competition

As a former professional athlete, and as someone who worked in sales and has quite a strong competitive spirit, I know a few things about competition. I’ve also studied it and seen it play out in both healthy and unhealthy ways within teams and companies for many years. Competition is part of life, and especially […]

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The Important Benefits of Being Grateful at Work
Let Go of Negative Comparison
Life is Not a Competition

Love is the Secret Sauce of High Performing Teams

A great example of how teamwork and culture can impact results in a significant way is the San Francisco Giants from a few years ago.  I’ve been honored to speak several times to their front-office staff, as well as to some of their players and coaches during spring training in recent years. I first partnered […]

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Culture and Chemistry Matter
Are You In The Game?
Lessons in Teamwork from the SF Giants

The Challenge and Importance of Inclusion at Work

Issues of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, age, disability, and religion and more can be hard for us to address authentically, since they bring up things that are both deeply personal and difficult to understand from our various perspectives and worldviews. They also touch on issues of privilege, oppression, bias (both conscious and unconscious), and […]

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Are You Bringing Your Whole Self to Work?
How Men Can Support Women and Empower Female Leadership
An open letter to my fellow straight white men…