Mike Figliuolo's Blog, page 116

Why Working Backward is the Key to Getting to Yes

It’s a terrible feeling to put a ton of effort into crafting a recommendation only to have it shot down in front of all your coworkers. If you want your idea approved, you should try doing things backward instead. Think about how you craft a recommendation. Typically it goes something like this: Identify problem. Gather […]



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Problem Solvers Make Great Leaders

Being a problem solver can help you stand out as a leader. Finding things that aren’t going well and coming up with ways to fix them can be a true differentiator. Today’s post is by Suzanne Paling, author of The Sales Leader’s Problem Solver (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Articles on the subject of […]



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How effectively do you manage up?

Our reader poll today asks: How effectively do you “manage up”? – Very – I lead my superiors just as effectively as I lead my teams: 29% – Kind of – There are times I don’t do it as well as I should: 55% – Not very – I find it difficult to lead and […]



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The Importance of Challenging Assumptions When Problem Solving

While leadership entails guiding people in the direction of success, it also requires the ability to look at problems and seek solutions. How you frame those problems can have much to do with the solution arrived at. Mark Twain once said, “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know, it’s what we […]



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Building Creative Stamina: Three Keys to Strength Training for Adults

Creativity is a skill that can be built like any other. Understanding your passion and challenging the voices in your head that say “no” are a great way to start. Today’s post is by Jane Dunnewold, author of Creative Strength Training (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Maybe it’s disingenuous to say that each of […]



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How effective are you at aligning behaviors with goals you set?

Our reader poll today asks: How effective are you at aligning your team’s behaviors with goals you set? – Very – Everyone knows the desired behaviors to hit our goals: 50% – Kind of – I point out the most important behavior changes required: 42% – Not very – I don’t often link behaviors to […]



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An Easier and More Effective Way to Give Feedback

Giving feedback can be difficult and emotionally-charged. But by following a simple model focused on facts and behaviors you’ll be giving more effective feedback more easily than you’ve given it before. If we want people to change behaviors and improve their performance, we have to give them feedback. Giving feedback can be really difficult because […]



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Great Leaders are Always Learning

Growth of your organization is tightly tied to your growth as a leader especially if you’re an entrepreneur. Overcoming the challenges to your personal growth will, in turn, help you kick-start your company’s growth. Today’s post is by Michael Dermer, author of The Lonely Entrepreneur (CLICK HERE to get your copy). There’s a powerful book […]



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Do you invest in training and conferences for your development?

Our reader poll today asks: Do you invest in training and conferences for your professional development? – Yes – I invest a lot of time in these events: 34% – Kind of – I invest time in these events occasionally: 47% – Not really – I don’t go to training or conferences often: 15% – […]



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3 Pitfalls to Avoid when Doing Analysis and Making Recommendations

Three major mistakes people make when conducting analysis are succumbing to confirmation bias, analysis paralysis, and generating weak results. If you’re mindful of these risks and approach your analysis rigorously and objectively, you can make a recommendation that will be easily approved. The following is an excerpt from my latest book The Elegant Pitch: Create […]



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