success

Going Global: The Magic Power of Color for Success

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Hot Topics and New Bits, intercultural, Leadership, People-Skills

Do you know what the colors of your clothes are saying about you?

Is your website and brand logo appealing and attractive to your potential buyers or users?

Do you have a favorite color?

Color is a form of non-verbal communication and if you do intercultural business, you need to understand the effect it has on the interpretation of the messages you send to people from different cultures.

The Meaning of Color 

There are two ways in which colors acquire meanings:The natural universal association like green for vegetation and psychological and emotional association or color symbolism based on individual experiences, cultural norms and values.  For example black is for funerals in most western countries while Chinese use white as the color of mourning (see table).
Reference: The Psychology and Meaning of Color in Email and Websites, Aug 2011

Red Yellow Green Black White
China    Good luck, celebration,    happiness     Nourishing     Exorcism, Adultery    Youth,the color for young boys    Funerals
United States   Love, passion, danger,     stop, rage     Hope, hazards,        coward-ness   Spring, go,St. Patrick’s Day,    Christmas Funerals, death, antagonists, Halloween    Weddings,        purity

More about color meaning and cultures: Empower Yourself Going Global With Color Psychology.

Color Psychology

Color has a powerful subliminal and subconscious effect on our physical and emotional well-being. For example if you enter in a mall decorated only in black, gray and white, would you be inspired to buy nice clothes, make-up or even drink coffee? Maybe not.

Color stimulates all our senses and as a result it has an effect on all our purchasing decisions. People make decisions based on their emotions and then justify them with logic. So it is essential that you are aware of both the positive and negative impact and response of each color on the emotions. There is no such thing as a bad color, just colors that are more suitable for your particular business purpose in order to get the response you want.

What does your personality color say about you? (reference: personality colors )

This again depends greatly on culture. Here an example that matches most Americans:

  • If your favorite color is red, you are action oriented with a deep need for physical fulfillment and to experience life through the five senses.
  • If orange is your favorite color, you have a great need to be with people, to socialize with them, and be accepted and respected as part of a group. You also have a need for challenges in your life, whether it is physical or social challenges.
  • Lovers of blue have a deep need to find inner peace and truth, to live their life according to their ideals and beliefs without having to change their inflexible viewpoint of life to satisfy others.
  • Lovers of black have a need for power and control in order to protect their own emotional insecurities.

Colors In International Marketing

When you want to do business globally check the meaning of colors for each country. Color symbolism impacts businesses and personal brands through website or blog graphic design, consumer product development, packaging and corporate identity. The significance of some colors is universal. Other colors, however, have meanings that shift in various cultures.

Online advertisers should be very careful about cultural differences in color symbolism since color is the first thing that is noticed on a web site or banner, even before the person understands the language or what the message says. A miss-match between colors and meanings in a  web site content can potentially ruin the marketer’s objectives.

The customization of color pattern for each country is becoming more and more critical as the population profile of Internet users is shifting rapidly. Latest statistics for 2011 regarding internet users show that Asia has the most internet users accounting for 44% of all users world wide, Europe 22.7 % and North America 13.0%  (Click for Reference).  The top 3 languages spoken on the internet is English with 26.8 % of users Then Chinese with 24.2% and Spanish 7.8% Reference: (Click for Reference )

In an increasingly competitive, global, interconnected and saturated market, communication needs to be carefully targeted. Few companies have a brand that is powerful enough to generate same response world-wide. For most companies it is important to understand what the impact of communication and color use will be on the targeted group. Therefore it is not only important to understand its meanings but also to find easily applicable rules for translating them.

A very good example of color customization is McDonald’s. The company has different website designs and colors for each country. For example the site for Japan is yellow and for Egypt is red.

How to dress for a job  interview 

The first impression you make during a job interview is the most important one. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing and color has probably the greatest impact. Recruiter must remember you for who you are and not for your outfit.

Men’s Interview Attire: In the united states, men should wear a suit  with solid color – navy or dark grey. Tie color and pattern should be conservative and non-distracting, for  example, dark blue and dark red with subtle patterns — stripes and dots are preferred. Shirt should be white or pale blue.

Women’s Interview Attire: Suit navy, black or dark grey. Coordinated blouse: white or ivory any light tone that matches your suit is appropriate. Light make-up and perfume.

More about dress for success in the corporate world: Dress for Success.

Whether you are going global or local, use the magic power of color for your success.

Guest Blogger Bio
Anne Egros http://zestnzen.woprdpress.comAbout Anne Egros, Global Executive Coach, at Zest and Zen International LLC
Anne  Provides Global Business, Career, and Expat Life Coaching Services For International Executives and Managers. Pharmaceutical Doctor (PharmD) with 20 years of international experience as business manager in Fortune 500 Companies. Anne worked as an expat for 20 years: US, Japan, Europe, APAC region. Fluent English, native French speaker. Please contact if you have questions Email: aegros@zestnzen.com.

View all posts by Anne Egros, Global Executive Coach »


Leaders: Fuel the Passion Discipline Duo

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Customer Service, Hot Topics and New Bits, Leadership, Teamwork

Today everyone is asking business leaders to engage employees. Fuel the passion! Business innovation requires it and long term success hinges on it. I agree that this is half the formula.

It takes two traits to be successful — passion and discipline.

Why has discipline fallen out of favor? Perhaps we are mistaking it for rigidity, dogmatism, and resistance to change. It is none of these things. It does not limit or constrain. It develops and guides.

It’s time for all leaders to fuel the passion discipline duo.


Leaders: Fuel Passion Discipline Duo Image by:dbking




The Passion Discipline Duo

  1. Passion starts the journey and discipline guides around the curves.
  2. Passion generates new ideas and discipline vets the possibility against tangible reality.
  3. Passion creates bonds with teammates and customers and discipline delivers the strength to bond even in tough times.
  4. Passion breaks through resistance and overcomes obstacles. Discipline sustains when passion wanes.


The Passion Discipline Duo is in Jeopardy When Leaders

    Are strong in passion or in discipline and don’t honor the other — in others.
    Use stressful times or times of decline as a reason to harp only on discipline.
    Demand evidence too early in a new venture or ignore evidence to avoid admitting mistakes.
    Allow any team member without the passion discipline duo to bully or sway the team to one trait.
    Give in to the fear of either trait.


High achievers of all types — from athletes to entrepreneurs and corporate leaders — fuel the passion discipline duo in themselves and their teams.

What actions do they take?
- Define passion and discipline with their teams

- Brainstorm and use a system to follow-through

- Give passion and discipline equal weight; celebrate both

- Keep the vision/goal always in sight of both

- Honor diverse team members and mentor their duo development


What would you add to this discussion about passion and discipline? What gets in the way of the duo? What fuels it?


From my experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Related Post: The Weakness of Extreme Strength

With inspiration to action, Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, turns obstacles to change into your professional success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote features, footage to view, and customer testimonials.

Leaders, Realizing & Mentoring Someone’s Dream

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Coaching Professional, Hiring Talent, Hot Topics and New Bits, inspiration, Leadership

With ONE Simple Question!

Leaders, managers, investors, parents, and coaches, are often realizing and mentoring someone’s big dream.

The bigger and more outlandish the dream, the greater the disbelief and concern.  This doubt can produce unhelpful reactions like “what are you thinking” or “it sounds too risky”.

Yet there is ONE simple question that powers success with both inspiration and practicality.


Realizing & Mentoring Another's Dream With ONE Simple Powerful Question Image: KLW Photo



The ONE Simple Question

“What do you picture?”

This questions powers positive inquiry, broader and deeper perspective, dialogue, and research. It unearths understanding of:

  1. What does the dreamer think it will take to make the dream a reality?
  2. How complete or accurate is that picture?
  3. What strengths and how much endurance does the dreamer have?
  4. What obstacles does the dreamer foresee – internal and external?
  5. How will the dreamer handle missteps and mistakes – psychologically and practically?
  6. What help, truly, does the dreamer expect?



What do you picture is a far better question that what is your plan? The latter requires great foresight of details at the start yet doesn’t assess the dreamer’s true readiness.

For leaders and managers with a tough career slot to fill, knowing the applicant’s vision of that job is critical to a successful decision.

For parents with wide-eyed teenagers or high achieving college students, asking what do you picture encourages them to consider their dream more deeply without killing their spirit.

For investors in new inventions, knowing how the inventor thinks and pictures the future will affect the win or lose.

For coaches, this one simple question — what do you picture – sets up a positive non-directive dialogue with those they coach.

There will be time for plans and details. Yet if you skip the picture and go right to the plan, the plan will be incomplete. It will lack success factors that are found within the dreamer not within the plan.

Have you tried this question — what do you picture? What was the result and response?


From my experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach


©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, guides people from inspiration to action. Her workshops, consultations, keynotes, and DVDs, turn interaction obstacles into interpersonal success and business wins. View footage, keynote topics, workshop outlines, and customer results at this site.

7 Do-or-Die Questions to Succeed as the Sudden Leader

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Hot Topics and New Bits, Leadership

You’ve heard the title before: interim leader or acting manager. I dub this position sudden leader because the need often arises suddenly and is quite often temporary.

Sudden interim leaders often don’t know those they will lead or they know them as peers. They are tapped to fill a gap and thrust with no trust.

They carry the burden of interim status with the challenge of inspiring an unsettled organization or team.

Since so much of what is written is for the full-time leader or manager, I pen this post of 7 do-or-die questions to succeed as the sudden interim leader. I welcome your experience and voice in the comments section below.

Secrets to Succeeding as Sudden Interim Leader or Acting Manager Image by:Paurian



  1. Why Do They Need an Interim Leader? You may only get the formal answer. Yet if they are closed lipped about the reasons, be suspicious. You may even want to pass on the opportunity.

  2. Why you? Ask why you, specifically, are being asked to fill the gap. It not only gives you confidence in the early days it is also the foundation for initial discussions with your organization/team. In the worst case, it gives you a chance to decline the offer if they say we can’t find anyone else (and yes this does happen)!


  3. What is your primary purpose?
    Will your boss want you to:
    Be the temporary focal point for well performing organization? or
    Establish peace in troubled waters? or
    Whip the team into performance shape for the new full-time leader? or
    Rebuild the reputation of the organization? or
    Discover core problems and make recommendations? or
    Stay the course while they decide on new plans for the organization?


  4. What does success look like to your boss? This is not a repeat of question #3. When you ask this question, you will get either additional detail or shocking contradiction. Either way, it is a secret to succeeding as the sudden interim leader or acting manager.


  5. What Are the Hot Risks? What crises are brewing? Will you and the organization have the tools, experience, and authority to handle them? To succeed as the interim leader, find the quicksand before you step in it.


  6. May I Speak With the Team Before Deciding on the Offer? It is a reasonable request and often the answer is yes. If you are not from the organization, you will learn critical information. Hearing the views of those you will temporarily lead allows you to decide if you are the right one for the job and if the job offers enough compensation given the challenges.


  7. What is the Picture for Me? If you are from within the organization, what happens to you and your career when the full-time leader is selected? Your future picture impacts your present success and the present success, your future. Better to know than be surprised later.


What other questions would you ask? What else would you recommend for success as the sudden interim leader or acting manager?


With our shared experience we soar to success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers coaching, workshops, keynotes, and DVDs that turn interaction obstacles into interpersonal success for customer service, collaboration, teamwork, and leading change. See this site for workshops outlines and customer results. Fill the gaps of diversity with business wins!

Turn 5 Collaboration Sinkers into Stimulants

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, People-Skills, Soft Skills, Teamwork

Communication is the vehicle of innovative collaboration. Words can sink or stimulate innovative collaboration and teamwork.

Here are 5 real life examples of collaboration sinkers turned into stimulants with great people-skills for outstanding results.

Whether these are said live in a meeting, on a virtual conference call, or online in email/chat, change them from presuming to exploring and from limiting to expanding.

Turn Collaboration Sinkers into Stimulants Image by:Quinn Anya

Turn 5 Collaboration Sinkers into Stimulants

  1. Sinker: “The question should be …”. The word should suggests that the person who posed it, is wrong, ignorant or off base. This offense can limit collaboration.

    Stimulant: “What if we asked …”. By providing an alternate question with what if, you explore and expand without limiting others’ contributions.


  2. Sinker: “Don’t you think …”. Nothing great ever comes after this phrase because it is a statement masquerading as a question.

    Stimulant: “What do you think about …” opens dialogue and true listening.


  3. Sinker: “Relax, calm down …”. When people work together, respect for individual styles is critical to the trust needed for collaboration.

    Stimulant: Accept diverse styles to stimulate collaboration.


  4. Sinker: “Don’t take me where I don’t want to go”. Often said by leaders when extremely different ideas emerge. It sinks collaboration because it sounds directive.

    Stimulant: Establish the parameters and criteria up front so that all can work knowledgeably within them.


  5. Sinker: “We have already finalized. Why are you bringing up new ideas?”

    Stimulant: This is a common collaboration conflict between doers (aka implementers) and innovators. To foster innovative collaboration, try “Given the deadline and parameters, shall we proceed with this plan and use that idea in the next revision?”



When do these sinkers emerge?
Perhaps when people …

    are results driven
    feel insecure or threatened
    are on a dysfunctional team with issues
    lack effective leadership
    face unrealistic deadlines

Being aware of these and other difficult conditions empowers each of us to watch for sinkers and replace them with stimulants — for outstanding collaborative results.

Yours in service,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™


©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, workshops, keynotes, and DVDs that turn interaction obstacles into interpersonal success for customer service, collaboration, teamwork, and leading change. Fill the gaps of diversity with business wins! See this site for workshops outlines and customer results.

When Your Career or Business Takes Off, Do You?

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Hot Topics and New Bits, People-Skills, Soft Skills

When you get busy with success your focus changes and trouble lurks if it blinds you completely. When your career or business finally takes off, do you?


Do you forget people who have formally or informally mentored you? Do you abandon friendships?

Do you recoil when others who helped you now ask for your help? Do you leave people while telling yourself you are still there?

You may have busy blindness!

When Your Career Takes Off - Do You?

Career or Business Takes Off and Causes Busy Blindness!




Signs of Busy Blindness

  1. When asked for a time to network, you reply “I am working mega hours per week and the rest of my time is spent with family.”
  2. You wait to reply to emails until you want to connect?
  3. You send out the December holiday letter summarizing your year to people you overlooked all year

    4. or

  4. Post updates about your life online all year at Facebook or Google + and consider that networking.



Do not despair. Busy blindness is curable.


People-Skills Tips to Cure Busy Blindness

  • Recognize it. Are there people who made time for you when they were busy? When they try to connect with you now, what is your response?


  • Kick your fear that people may want too much time from you. Staying connected doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your success. You still have control over your life.


  • Find 5 minutes each day to connect with one person directly via phone, email, or text. Or at least reply to their outreach in a timely manner.


  • Subscribe to their blogs. Leave an occasional comment so they know you are thinking of them.


  • Oddly enough, ask them for more help. If you are extremely busy, you may find that your network that has helped you before will be glad to help you still. Helpers like to stay connected.


  • Turn off the television. You will be amazed at how much time you discover. [Thanks to Jeffrey Gitomer for that one.]


  • If you aren’t even watching television, you can afford to hire a part time personal assistant to keep track of your networking. This assistant will schedule a calendar of connections for you, help you to follow up, and keep your network on your radar screen.



Perhaps Katie Couric says it best in her new book: The Best Advice I Ever Got: “Today you may be drinking the wine, tomorrow you could be picking the grapes.”

Either way stay close and connected to the vine!
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach


©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Related post: Is Anyone There? by Henry Alford. Source: NY Times.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers workshops, keynotes, and consultations that turn interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. Leaders have been booking Kate for 21 years to fill the gaps of diversity with business wins. See this site for customer results and book Kate now.

Success in Two Words – Be Memorable.

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Customer Service, Hiring Talent, Hot Topics and New Bits, inspiration, Leadership, People-Skills, Sales

Starting a company? Looking for a job? Attempting to sell your house? Trying to change careers? Get noticed by being different but …

to achieve success — be memorable.



Memorable is not just what makes you different.  Memorable connects you with others in ways that matter to them.

Success in Two Words - Be Memorable.



Memorable affects others.

Memorable creates a story.

Memorable builds a trust.

Memorable sparks an insight.

Memorable fosters respect.

Memorable eliminates doubt.

Memorable comes back to you.

Memorable keeps you present.

Memorable changes their reality.

Memorable reflects value.

Memorable brings you into their future.





Be Memorable!

    Do you have noticeably good planning skills? Add and use foresight to be memorable. Prevent a problem on a project or discover and open an opportunity for your customer, your boss or your organization. Outstanding skills get you noticed. Using them to help others makes you memorable.


    Are you a remarkably fast learner? Your boss can hand you anything new and you can do it? That’s good. Learn before the skill is needed and you increase your value. Start today to be memorable tomorrow.


    Do you have a special talent for teamwork? Worthwhile in today’s collaborative workplace. Excel at it during times of stress, low morale, or critical change and you will be memorable to every leader.


    Are you a people person? Sales or customer service is your sweet spot? Certainly a plus. To be memorable, deliver wonderful service recovery with urgency. Offer customers compensation even for the smallest inconvenience. It builds phenomenal trust and reaps gratitude. You will be memorable!

Kick Start Your Success
The suggestions above are just a few examples. Try these questions to discover how you can be memorable:

  1. What three things do most people notice about you? Why? The answer will uncover ways for you to be memorable.
  2. What is one strength that people don’t notice in you? Start using it in ways that matter to others.
  3. What are two areas in your work or personal life where you see a need, a void, pain, fear, or doubt in others?. Fill the need/void or remove the pain, fear, or doubt. You will be memorable.



How have you been memorable in your work or personal life? Please share your story in the comments section below to inspire others.

To our continued mutual growth,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach


©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers workshops, keynotes, and consultations that turn interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. Leaders have been booking Kate for 21 years to fill the gaps of diversity with business wins. See this site for customer results and book Kate now.

Leadership w/o Title – Success in the Gap

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Hot Topics and New Bits, Leadership, People-Skills, Soft Skills

Want your career to advance?  Show leadership without the title.  If you live up to your current job description you have shown the leaders that they made the right decision.

If you step into the leadership gap, you show leaders what decision to make.

Leadership Without the Title - Success in the Gap |Image via Istock.

To leaders, your success in the gap is:

  1. A proof of concept that bypasses hell
  2. A purchase with no need for a return policy
  3. An investment that out performs the market
  4. An insurance policy with no deductible

Not all leaders can envision your potential.  They need to see it right in front of them in order to decide. Why leave your career success up to their inability? Show them.

How can you do this without alienating teammates?

  1. Spot the teammates with energy – you will fuel each other.
  2. Spot the teammates with inertia – your energy frightens them.  They need safety before they walk into the gap with you.  Give them empathy before energy every time.

When you fill the gap, you fuel your future.

Yours in service,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

What gaps have you filled that led to success in your career? I would love to hear your story in the comments section below.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, gives inspiration to action in every workshop, keynote, and consultation. Her years of practical experience in corporate work, feed your future success. See this site for what customers say about working with Kate.

Give RISE to Your Career With These 4 Traits

Posted in Careers & Jobs, Coaching Professional, People-Skills, Soft Skills

Most everyone, new graduates and experienced workers,  want a  career RISE.  To succeed, connect into the true meaning of these four people-skills traits.

The deeper you understand, embrace, and develop these 4 people-skills traits, the more valuable you become to the business and the boss — decision makers, executives, and managers.

Connect People-Skills - Career RISE Image: Eva The Weaver

R – Reliability. We think of this mostly as deliver what you promise and/or what you are assigned. That’s expected not exceptional.

    For a career rise, connect into personality styles of the leaders’ you work for and with.
    Understand their hot buttons and stay a step ahead of their needs.
    Know when/how to point out the risk of their view or impending decision.
    Facilitate their actions to make the business successful and help them prevent the failures.

I – Integrity. Hold professional confidences, behave ethically, be accountable for your actions and energy, correct your mistakes without excuses, give more than is asked or expected. Integrity builds trust and trust delivers long term career success.

S – Self-confidence. Less neediness and more initiative from you make life easier for your boss.

    What it is: Strength in tough times, comfort adapting to change, insight on how your talent and experience apply to new and different situations, collaboration without fear of losing your own individual success, managing your own ego.

    What it isn’t: False bravado, know-it-all thinking, who’s better than whom attitude, disdain for diversity.

E – Excellence. Pursue excellence through constant learning, innovation, and honest self-evaluation. When you are always learning and accurately assessing needed improvements you give the company (and the boss) more ROI for its decision to hire you.

What is your ROI for developing these 4 people-skills traits? Career success.

The executive’s trust in you and reliance on your contributions is the catapult for your career rise and long term success. Imagine a boss saying “I’ve never met anyone I can rely on more” — and then get that designation!


What other traits and actions have given RISE to your career? Please share your voice in the comments section below. It can help many.

From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™, delivers people-skills workshops, keynotes, and consultations that take you and your teams from inspiration to action. Combining humor, practicality, and a passion for excellence, Kate re-inspires success in all those she touches. See this site for customers’ comments and book Kate now.

Teamwork Gems & Newly Defined Create Startling Results

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, Leadership, Teamwork, Thriving in Change

Teamwork Defined with New Gems

Every minute of teamwork requires adapting to each other, to changing conditions, and sometimes to changing goals. 

The traditional definition of teamwork,  people working together to reach a shared common goal, sounds logical, seems clear — and falls short of success. 

It makes a glaring assumption that people will adapt and change as needed to reach the common goal.

Yet, with this definition of teamwork, most people work toward the common goal from and within their own perspective.

The Result? Teams that cannot quickly adapt to change. When the business starts to change or new opportunities arise, leaders bring in outsiders or must sometimes pass on the opportunity.

A great definition of teamwork includes a call to action to build and exercise change-ability skills for optimal teamwork in any situation.


Picture your organization using this new definition of teamwork:

Growth and change within team members to achieve a common success.

It’s applicable to changing environments, is very clear, and defines teamwork as adapting to reach the common goal instead of working to reach the common goal. 





This definition of teamwork creates startling results when you use it with these four precious gems.

BY:Skistz

BY:Skistz

RUBY. Passion for learning. When you create a learning (not training) culture, the team exercises its change-ability muscles. Learning is change and one that most people welcome since it enhances their careers and no one can fail. 
The startling result is a stream of new contributions because all are involved in continuous improvement.

Creativity increases and critical thinking improves. Athletic teams regularly exercise for improved performance and theater troupes explore new ideas for this same reason. Unfortunately teams focused on production often get locked in daily routines. Create startling new results with a learning culture.

Action Item: Pick one topic related to business, teamwork, service, sales, or technology. Have each team member Google/Bing on the topic and collate those results online.  At a virtual team meeting, take 15 minutes for team members to identify aloud what info they can use and how.  Make this a weekly event and watch the teams create, collaborate, and flex to changing needs.

 

By: ThisIsBossi

By: ThisIsBossi

 

EMERALD. Leader with a confident ego. If you have a learning culture, the leader must feel confident even with constructive dissenters and creative strategic thinkers on the team. This confident leader is the emerald gem of teamwork — reminding us all of The Wizard of Oz. Toward the end of the movie the curtain is drawn back to reveal there is no all-powerful wizard. He is instead a wise caring person.  His insights flow from there.

 

 

By: ThisIsBossi

By: ThisIsBossi

 

SAPPHIRE. Human bonding on diverse and distributed teams.  The evil of isolation due to distance or differences undermines the full potential of teams. Picture world-wide technology rollout teams who have never met, come from different cultures, and rotate team members. If no bonding is addressed, the teams will fall short of full success. Use video-based virtual meetings to introduce team members. Build understanding on topics of personality type, generational differences, cultural norms, learning style, and pet peeves!

 

 

By: TambakoTheJaguar

By: TambakoTheJaguar

 

DIAMOND. The I’s in Team. There are several I’s in teamwork – individual initiative and identity committed to the team. Respect and acknowledge individual talents contributed to the whole. It inspires greater contributions and willingness to share and teach. Some organizations call this the essential piece culture where each person knows how s/he contributes to the whole success.

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. For permission to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers team building workshops and innovative solutions for startling team results. See this site for more info and 21 years of testimonials.

People-Skills: When Logic Blocks Success

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, People-Skills, Soft Skills

Many a disagreement or impasse has emerged from the statement, That’s not logical. Professionals who say this to an employee, team member, or colleague believe they have right on their side. Ironically, when people use logic in this way, they are quite wrong for it shows poor people-skills and blocks success.

People-Skills: Logic Can Block Success

There are societal influences that feed (yet don’t justify) this twisted use of logic. How many times have we honored the phrase clear headed thinking? We describe successful business people as thinking with their heads not their hearts.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t take long for the sheen of these influences to wear thin and for all to see the effects of those who cast judgment on logic. These poor people-skills can block future interaction, openness, honesty, valuable exchanges of ideas, and teamwork. They can block success.



People-Skills Tip for Success
If you have used the phrase, that’s not logical, without harmful intent, it is easy to avoid the misstep in the future. When you disagree, allow yourself room to change course. Your words will explore instead of judge, discuss instead of declare, communicate instead of condemn.

With that mindset, you can easily replace that’s not logical with I don’t follow your logic or better yet, I see it another way.


Need to be Right; Need for Control.
If that approach unsettles you, your trip to success may be longer. Your need to be right and to control every situation can hold you back.

  1. Declarations and judgments show your limitations not the limitations of those you judge. People can see that.
  2. Decision makers will question your ability to handle change. You might believe they see you as decisive and valuable. Yet you appear rigid and inflexible.
  3. As you shut out others’ input and perspectives, you are driving blind. Your blind spots, unaddressed by those you have repelled, can undermine your success.

Stop worrying that people will misconstrue open-mindedness for uncertainty or weakness. Showing respect for others’ opinions doesn’t diminish you. It shows that you are confident and strong enough to consider all views.

Diverse professionals — sales executives, negotiators, detectives, teachers, to name just a few — use listening, learning, and understanding to create success. You can do the same!


What is your biggest challenge in interacting with people in the workplace who declare instead of discuss? I welcome your perspective in the comments section below.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, has been turning interaction obstacles into interpersonal success for 20 years. See this site for info on workshops, keynotes, dvds, and customer results.

New Leaders, Develop Your Intuition

Posted in Leadership, People-Skills, Soft Skills

If you are a new leader, your plate is full of responsibility and your to-do list with things to learn. Developing one skill will steer you through the new challenges and guide you to lead people well.

New leaders, develop your intuition.

Intuition is not voodoo. It is not magic. Intuition is not psychic ability.

Intuition is experience reapplied. Good detectives do it. Diagnostic physicians do it when when technology can’t. Very successful leaders do it.

New Leaders, Develop Your Intuition

Image by: Hexmar

If intuition is just experience, why call it intuition? Because it isn’t just experience.

Intuition is a synthesis of information and experience — especially about people — reapplied in a different time and space. Over time and with practice, the synthesis works so quickly that many people experience it as a hunch. In any case, this intuition delivers valuable foresight to a leader.


Steps to Develop Your Intuition

  1. Become a student of human behavior. Observe & listen to them. Communicate with them.
  2. Give yourself permission to see things as they are unencumbered with your fears, values, hopes, and personal agenda. Intuition comes from this. Like a detective, spot patterns and see exceptions to patterns. How they look when they are feeling certain things. How they behave in diverse situations when having those feelings.
  3. Build your intuition data bank. Embrace this input as non-measurable data. It crosses over time and space. Gather it to store and reuse in the future for synthesis and reapplication.



Implications for Leaders

To broaden your vision, don’t micro-manage. It is difficult to see the forest if you are working on one tree.

Get to know those you work with as people. Get to know them sooner than later — your colleagues, your team, your vendors, your suppliers, and other teams that your organization will work with.

Learn about diverse people behavior and never stop learning. If you stop, your intuition data bank becomes incomplete and your intuition flawed.

Acting on intuition alone is a mistake. Use your newly developed intuition as a pointer for further investigation. It maximizes the value of your intuition and minimizes pattern error, stereotyping, and bad decisions.

Consider Einstein’s view:”The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. I believe in intuition and inspiration. At times I feel certain I am right while not knowing the reason.”


What benefits have you had from intuition? What do you do to develop it? I would love to hear your stories and perspective in the comments field below.


©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. For permission to re-post or republish the content of this post, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach™, has spent 23 years teaching corporate leaders, managers, and their teams to develop foresight and intuition for success in leadership, teamwork customer service, and sales. See this site for workshops and customers’ testimonials.

Great Leaders Mind the Energy Gap

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, Leadership, Teamwork

Most leaders address tangible gaps that block success – gaps in resources, raw materials, knowledge, distribution mechanisms and the like.  Many have also learned to address generational and cultural gaps to ensure global success.

Great leaders mind the energy gap as well. They enable and empower team members to bridge the energy gap and plug into success.

Leaders, Mind the Energy Gap on Teams

The energy gap between team members can build walls, interrupt the flow of teamwork, and detour the team from its mission.  Great leaders see this as a true and tangible barrier.

They mind this interpersonal energy gap and teach team members how to convert it to a powerful connection.

Interpersonal Energy Gap

Example #1
Team members who work harder or less hard than other team members yet all produce substantially the same results

    The barrier to success: Teamwork and morale can falter if team members mistake energy levels for results. They begin to label the harder workers as inefficient and those that work less hard as lazy.

    Great leaders focus on results.  They teach team members to work together to analyze inefficiencies, improve processes, and share talents for maximum success.  They spot team members who are capable of greater responsibility and guide them to collaborate and do more.

    Distributed (virtual) teams embrace this end result focus early on because they are working from different locations and sometimes different time zones. The distance compels them to address issues of responsiveness, timeliness, and efficiency to deliver on the mission.

    Great leaders remind shared workplace teams to address these issues instead of labeling the behaviors and detouring success.


Example #2
High energy emotional temperaments interacting with more even paced dispositions

    The barrier to success: Communication can falter when team members infer intention, intelligence, and/or ability just from the others’ temperament.

    Great leaders see energy and emotion differences as natural. A team is a microcosm of the human population. They teach team members to assess contributions with tangible evidence not by inferences about others’ disposition. Great leaders respect the differences and find the fit.

    Team building exercises can transform a team to work well with different personality styles. In these exercises, they learn to interpret emotion levels appropriately, understand the value of each temperament, and use the differences to fill their own talent gaps.

    Here is a short video to illustrate: GPS Your Team to Work With Different Personality Types.



How well do your teams address these energy gaps? Do they know how to mind the gap and turn it into a powerful connection? Ask them … and let me know!

Yours in service,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach

©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. For permission to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, is well respected for her results in turning interpersonal obstacles into interaction success in leadership, teamwork, and customer service. See this site for keynote topics, workshop outlines, and customer feedback.

Accept Reality Sooner & Speed Professional Success

Posted in Hot Topics and New Bits, inspiration, Leadership, Speaking and Events

Success takes commitment and persistence. Most want success sooner than later. If you are one of them, accept reality sooner and you speed success. The old adage that ignorance is bliss — or as some live it, denial is bliss — comes at a cost. It delays success.

Accept reality sooner & speed success.



Speed Professional Success

  1. What are you strengths and what, truly, are your weaknesses? The sooner you accept the reality, the sooner you will start using your strengths in more ways and working on your weaknesses.


  2. Leaders, which of your team members are propelling the mission forward to success and which, if any, are useless drag. Accept the reality sooner and you will more likely give recognition that will inspire the team to even greater heights. You will also have necessary conversations with those who are not committed. Success requires both.


  3. What is the ONE thing in your work or life that eats away at you. Be honest with yourself. What is it? Why does it eat away at you? Admit the reality and you are more likely to work to change it or accept it as an absurdity of life. Success comes sooner with either approach.


  4. If your business is having trouble, push aside fatalistic worries that drive you to denial. Accept the reality and bring a mastermind group or expert consultants together to build a recovery plan with you. Admit the truth sooner; success is close at hand.


Truly stuck with unchangeable conditions? Delayed by family issues or health problems?

Accept the the reality of the moment instead of struggling against the impossible. If you’re not where you’re at, you’re nowhere. In this case, changing your professional goals for the time being may be the fastest route to success.

What personal or professional story will you share with us to speed success?

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, inspires leaders and teams to identify and overcome obstacles to success. Her energy is legendary, her insight objective, and her results tangible.

Leaders, Don’t Coach a Bad Attitude

Posted in Coaching Professional, Hot Topics and New Bits, inspiration, Leadership

Business success — be it corporate, mid-size enterprises, innovative start-ups, or small businesses - depends on the positive can do attitude. It is also weakened and destabilized by a bad attitude.

For business success, leaders, inspire people to choose a positive attitude but don’t coach a bad attitude. The latter is a waste of time and money. The team members who bring a positive can do attitude use your inspiration to deliver success. An employee with a bad attitude just uses you.

Are you surprised to hear me, The People-Skills Coach, say don’t coach a bad attitude?  Well, I am not speaking about an employee who offers a different view, contributes alternate solutions, or is having a bad day.  I am referring to an employee who under performs, is under-motivated, constantly negative, analyzes but doesn’t deliver, or refuses to work with necessary constraints.

One leader recently asked me, how long do you work on the bad morale of a negative employee? I replied, never!  You cannot work on someone’s morale.  People choose and own their individual attitudes.

Coaching a bad attitude means you are spending time on their mission instead of the mission of the organization.

Inspire Positive Attitudes; Don't Coach a Bad Attitude!

Positive can do team members …

  • Offer realistic solutions to fix frustrating/difficult situations they don’t like.
  • Own their occasional bad day.  When they ask for assistance, they try the suggestions you offer vs. negating your ideas and continuing to complain.
  • Learn from many situations – the good and the bad – instead of complaining about them.
  • Initiate actions to deliver success.

If you are thinking or saying the following about a constantly negative team member, you are enabling a bad attitude:

“But this employee …”

  • “Just needs more time to develop a positive attitude.”
  • “Will come around eventually.”
  • “Is still recovering from the previous bad boss.”
  • “Is having a rough year.”
  • “Is young/immature.”
  • “Is good in a crisis.”

Would upper management be swayed by these reasons when trying to assess the value of your organization? Or would they ask you to calculate the cost of having employees who don’t use positive attitudes to fuel outstanding results?

What can you expect instead? A positive attitude to create business success now; someone who is capable of choosing a positive attitude doesn’t need more time.  An employee who had a dictatorial boss before could be thrilled by a chance to work with a better leader now.  Young employees can be positive about the possibilities that lie ahead. Team members who are good in a crisis have the mental strength to choose a can do attitude daily.

Leaders, if you struggle with the idea of expecting a positive attitude, ask yourself why?

Do you:

  • Want to be liked more than you want to achieve success
  • Fear the necessary conversation about a bad attitude
  • Believe you have the power to change people
  • Believe that expecting and requiring a positive attitude means you are a tyrant/ogre
  • Feel bad about yourself if an employee has a bad attitude toward the job
  • Believe that positive employees won’t want to work in your organization

I see this trend among: certain personality types, managers who are leading their former peers, and leaders who replaced a rough demoralizing micro-manager.  Yet coaching a bad attitude doesn’t change the bad attitude.

It can also demoralize the committed team members who endure the bad attitude while you try — in vain — to coach. It takes you all off course.

Get back on track. Expect a positive attitude and inspire the possibilities that come from it!

Feature team successes and lessons learned.  Recognize innovative thought, outstanding effort, commitment, and action.  Express your appreciation at the end of the week for tough situations handled well.  Let no complainer disillusion or distract you and the team from the true mission.

Positive attitudes are not denial of the difficulties the team faces.  They are the very fuel for overcoming obstacles to reach business success.

Create an environment for a positive can do attitude and then expect it from everyone.

What other actions do you recommend to create an environment for a can do attitude? I welcome your comments below.

Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers inspiration action to corporate teams in diverse industries and verticals. She is tapped especially during times of great opportunity and change. See this site for keynotes, workshop outlines, and testimonials.

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