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Latest "Motivation" Posts

7 Leadership Questions That Will Move Your Needle in 2016

The Secret Weapon of Great Leaders.

 

Have you ever experienced in a meeting where a seasoned leader listened intently and then, with exquisite timing, asked one question that shifted the direction, focus and thinking of the entire team?

goal achievementThat is the magic and power of questions!

To move the needle in your organization in 2016, the first place to start is by asking thought-provoking questions.   The 7 questions below are by no means exhaustive. They serve as a starting point to stimulate your own questions.

These (or comparable) questions can make the difference between a successful 2016 and a disappointing one.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on January 27, 2016 in Goal Achievement, Leadership Development, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation, Organizational Performance, Strategic Thinking.

Re-Igniting Your Leadership Fire

The Secret Groundwork to an Extraordinary 2016

 

A new year is just around the corner.  Another year is about to end.

Be honest with yourself …

·      Are you feeling tired, stressed or depressed?

·      Are you feeling disconnected from what really matters to you?

·      Are you feeling like you have lost your way, not even realizing it?

In my experience, when December hits, many leaders are burned out and depleted.  They are running on empty.

leadership fireAnd understandably so.  The demands on a leader’s energy and attention throughout the year are endless.   I’ve been there myself.  I know.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on December 9, 2015 in Emotional Mastery, Goal Achievement, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

Real Leaders Become Awakeners

Are You Ready To Make the Leap?

 

Your company is growing and has gained recognition and success.  Your culture and employees are thriving and you are so proud of everyone’s accomplishments.

Yet …

you feel something is missing.  You can’t put your finger on what.  After all, it’s been a challenging journey.  In many ways, you and your organization have arrived at its desired destination.

How could something be missing?

Guess what?

leadership consciousnessYou are not alone.

That gnawing feeling of something missing is a positive thing.  It’s a sign your soul is stirring …

To something greater than your role and your company. 

Posted by Denise Corcoran on October 20, 2015 in Emotional Mastery, Leadership Development, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

Are You Awake?

Guest article by Marcella Bremer

How are you?

Busy? Relaxed? Energized? Tired?

I notice a pattern in modern life. I’m going too fast and packing too much in my days. I’m hunting for cover_issue_15_192x256stimuli – or at least I’m distracted by them. I notice restlessness when I’m already tired. I see most people around me living by schedules that don’t leave space to slow down and to be mindfully aware of what really happens. How do you wake up to the present?

I’m lucky, though. Since I am self-employed, I can schedule time for contemplation. I know that I need some time for silence – to be my best self again when I work with clients.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on September 29, 2015 in Emotional Mastery, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

Deep Motivations, Not Competencies, Drive Leadership Performance.


What if…

  • You could easily predict the performance of your leaders, your teams and your organization?motivation1
  • You could gain access to the underlying motivators that drive a leader or employee to do their best work?
  • You could eliminate costly hiring mistakes and determine in advance to what extent a candidate will perform well in a role?

Such a solution exists and can unleash the potential and performance within your organization.

It’s called motivational profiling.  Your underlying (and often unconscious) attitudes and motivations determine what you pay attention to and focus on in your leadership role.

These deep motivation and attitudinal patterns  (MAPs) ultimately drive – yours and others’ –

  • Behaviors
  • Decision making style
  • Requirements for change and variety
  • Dominant motivation driver
  • Levels of strategic and visionary thinking
  • Relationship to norms/rules
  • Orientation toward innovation and creativity
  • And much more

Drawing on recent evolutions in cognitive science research, motivational profiling is a state-of-the-art assessment tool that provides a window into yours and your employees’ intrinsic motivations and attitudes at work.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on July 14, 2015 in Assessments, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation, Organizational Performance, Top Talent.

Pain VS Gain: How to Best Motivate Buyers to Buy

 Guest Article by Dan Seidman

Dan Piano SMEI 3 StandingPicture this, you’re 12 years old and you fly into the house after school. “Mom, Dad, guess what I decided today? I’m gonna be a doctor!”

Mom is always encouraging. “Honey, that’s great! Doctors are well respected. You’ll make good money, have a nice spouse and a nice house. I’m so glad you’re going to be a doctor.”

In contrast, how might Dad respond? “A doctor? Are you kidding me? Do you know how many years you have to go to school to become a doctor? Do you know how much money it costs? And you’ll be working with sick people all day.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on July 7, 2015 in Influence, Mindset, Motivation, Selling.

7 Unconscious Leadership Fears That Keep You Small

Which keep you small?

fears keeping you small

Fears keeping you small

 

All leaders have fears.  However, not all your fears are created equal.

Some may manifest as low level anxieties.  Some are life paralyzing phobias.  Some may be triggered only by certain events – like fear of public speaking.  Others may be life-long fears.

Then there are the “big guns.”  These are the core unconscious leadership  fears from which all other fears come.  They override every aspect of your being.

In this article you will learn 7 unconscious leadership fears that keep you small.  First, it’s important to understand the nature of fear.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on June 17, 2015 in Beliefs, Emotional Mastery, Leadership Development, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

Unleashing Your Leadership Presence …

Even Before You Speak

 

In 1987, I flew to LA to a women’s leadership conference for one reason only.  To meet Anita Roddick, founder and “then” CEO of multi-billion dollar franchise,

winning strategies

Photo by David Niblack

The Body Shop, and asked her to write the forward of my book (to which she did say yes).

When I met her, I was stunned how amazingly small she was (even smaller than myself J).  Yet her commanding presence was so powerful, 30 years later, that memory is still vivid in my mind.

Leadership presence includes character, charisma and self-confidence YET is much more.

Posted by Denise Corcoran on April 14, 2015 in Emotional Mastery, Employee Engagement, Influence, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

How to Unlock Your Leadership Influence Instantly

5 Power Words That Persuade

Influence is not something tangible, physical or material.  Yet it’s real.  You know when you are in the presence of it.  Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Steve Jobs just to name a few.

The Power of Words

The Power of Words

There is no leadership without influence. You can have a leadership title, yet have no  influence.  How influential are you?  Does your team listen to your every word with attention, openness and trust?  Is your team inspired to take action simply by what you say and do?

Influence comes from the latin root “influere” meaning to flow in. 

Posted by Denise Corcoran on March 11, 2015 in Employee Engagement, Goal Achievement, Influence, Leadership Development, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation.

Are You Addicted to Codependent Leadership?

7 Clues You Are.

 
Note:  This post was originally published on August 25, 2014 on SmartBlogs.com.
 

codependencyIf you are a sucker for great leadership movies like I am — Invictus, Coach Carter and Moneyball just to name a few, it’s easy to assume that all leaders embody the same qualities as those in the movies.

Afterall, who hasn’t idealized business leaders to be strong, confident, make tough decisions and stand their ground no matter what?

While those leaders do exist, they are a minority.  In working with leaders for 30 years, I have found that the reality is shockingly different.

Most leaders take on their roles with the greatest of positive intentions. 

Posted by Denise Corcoran on October 17, 2014 in Accountability, Beliefs, Company Culture, Emotional Mastery, Leadership Development, Leadership Performance, Mindset, Motivation, Teams.