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5 Reasons Fear-Based Leadership Is Ineffective
Show me a leader who uses fear to get the troops in line, and I’ll show you a toxic environment. Unfortunately, far too many leaders use fear to get...
How to Demonstrate Leadership Virtually
If you’re like many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced your organization to work remotely and embrace the virtual office. Because of the...
Communication Skills: Did You Know There Are 5 Levels of Listening?
This blog was originally published on 5/14/2018 and updated on 8/13/2020. Most people who think they are good listeners underperform—by as much as 60...
Communication Skills: How to Use a Cold Read and Accusation Audit
This blog was originally published on 4/17/2017 and updated on 8/6/2020. A few years ago, I was the only hostage negotiator in a room full of SWAT...
How Negotiation Tactics Work Together Like a Symphony
At The Black Swan Group, we teach a number of tactics that people like you can use to get better outcomes in your personal and professional lives. In...
Which Are You? Boss, Manager, or Leader?
Just because you’re in a position of authority doesn’t mean you’re effective at your job. To truly get your direct reports to the next level, you...
How to Show That You're Ready for a Leadership Role
In an ideal world, leadership roles would fall into your lap without any heavy lifting. But that rarely happens. If your goal in your career is to...
Passionate Leadership: 4 Must-Have Traits
We’ve all worked for bosses who weren’t exactly inspiring. Whether an individual didn’t treat you with respect or berated you is beside the point....
5 Signs of Bad Leadership (And How to Correct Them)
Though the best leaders inspire their teams and help their organizations achieve incredible results, the worst ones draw the ire of their direct...
4 Leadership Exercises You Can Try Today
No matter how good a leader you are, you can always improve. The next time you enter a difficult conversation in the workplace, here are four...
4 Key Components to a Successful Email
People often ask me if I have any tricks for negotiating over email. Here’s my first tip: Stop doing it. Every email exchange should be an attempt to...
How to Demonstrate Leadership During a Crisis
The way someone acts during a crisis is a telltale sign of whether they’re a good leader or a mediocre one. In the world I came from—the world of...