Have you noticed that people all around you are getting testier? Every day they continue to get bad news about the economy, jobs, taxes, housing starts, state and county service cutbacks and a myriad of circumstances that impact right now the quality of life we have worked so hard to create for ourselves and our association staff, leaders and members!
It is a good time to focus on the basics and pay attention to the rules of working together because your leadership effectiveness depends on these relationships!
And here is the good news! These basics include practices that are totally within your control!
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Seek first to understand the other person before making a case for your point of view.
People rarely hear what you are REALLY saying until they believe that you have heard what they have to say. You don’t have to agree, you just have to acknowledge their right to express their point of view and for their point of view to be understood.
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Deliver on your promises.
Do what you say you will do and be in communication if your timetable for doing it slips. Other people may be waiting for you or counting on you doing something and will respect you if you give them a heads up that you are changing the terms of your commitment and are willing to be responsible for the impact that may have on other people. And when other call you on your broken promises, thank then for the feedback and understand the impact that it had on them. (more…)
