Motivation is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond one’s external Driving Forces and are based on an internal drive or propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence. It’s been a while now, but you may recall from our series of emails on the 12 Driving Forces that they help us understand what external factors propel us into action. But what happens when none of them are present?

Are you a motivated leader?

Are you able to pursue your goals with energy and persistence in the absence of your external drivers? This is a skill which you can be developing as you seek to strengthen your leadership. Once again, let’s use an example from your team to help understand this concept. First, we need to imagine a situation where you know you need to do something that you don’t want to do. For the sake of the example, let’s say that one of the members of your team is struggling in an area and the best course of action for you to take as the leader...

Self-Regulation is the ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods and the propensity to suspend judgment and think before acting. We have emotions about things as they happen, and our emotions may affect the decisions we make. Self-Regulation is a skill we use to manage our emotions in the moment that an event occurs so we can take more thoughtful actions. High self-awareness also enables us to take responsibility for our feelings and to self-regulate when things are not going well.

Are you a self-regulated leader?

The skill of self-regulation follows self-awareness because the more developed a person is at knowing what they are feeling the more they will be able to harness and manage those emotions in their actions. However, as more and more people have tried to ignore or over-control their emotions in general without first understanding what they feel with any specificity, it is possible for a person’s self-regulation skill to be more developed than their...

Self-Awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others. For a long time, emotions have been misunderstood and, in many cases, seen as something we need to control, ignore or work around in order to be most effective, especially in the workplace.

As more research is uncovered, we now realize that the most effective people are actually the ones who have the strongest understanding and awareness of what they are feeling. Once we are aware that we are feeling something and then able to name and understand exactly what we are feeling, we can engage these God-given emotions in leadership and collaboration.

Are you a self-aware leader?

Self-aware leaders know and understand what is happening in their bodies as they go through their day. They know how to notice what is happening inside of themselves, what they are feeling, the good, the bad and the ugly. As we move through our days, interacting with others and with our...

Now that we’ve reviewed DISC, the science of observable human behavior, and Driving Forces, the “why” that propels us into action, we’re going to explore Emotional Intelligence, which is also often referred to as EQ or “Emotional Quotient.”

Emotional Intelligence is a quality that people possess at a root-level that can impact our ability to use our skills or talents to be effective. Another way to say this is, a person’s ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity.

Our emotions are a significant part of our whole selves as human beings and in order to truly understand ourselves, we must be aware of what we are feeling. Harnessing our emotions, motivating ourselves and understanding and influencing the emotions of others are also key indicators of effectiveness at work and in life.

Are you an emotionally intelligent leader?

Our EQ assessment measures...

Jeremy from Ironwood Venture recently shared this Harvard Business Review article and I've been sharing it with all of our clients.

You should read it too.

We are talking about DISC and how the various DISC styles show up in your leadership and on your team. There are eight behavioral segments that we are going over one-by-one each week. Use the following information to give your team members a clear understanding and appreciation of the diverse individuals on your team.

What is the IMPLEMENTOR Behavioral Segment?

Implementors (C/D) tend to assess, leverage facts and figures, and advance toward a solution. They make up 4.22% of the population.

These individuals bring great value to your team, including:

• Creativity
• Being objective and realistic
• Presenting the facts without emotion

Implementors are more task-oriented than people-oriented and they tend to move at a moderate pace, neither fast nor slow.

Some Words that Work for Implementors are:

• Function
• Action
• Data

And, some Words that Don’t Work for Implementors are:

• Relax
• Perception
• Assume

Is this you? Who do you have on your team who behaves this way? Do you have a clear...

We are talking about DISC and how the various DISC styles show up in your leadership and on your team. There are eight behavioral segments that we are going over one-by-one each week. Use the following information to give your team members a clear understanding and appreciation of the diverse individuals on your team.

What is the ANALYZER Behavioral Segment?

Analyzers (C) tend to seek out accuracy in all activities and are careful to gather precise data to ensure the highest quality possible. They make up 5.12% of the population.

These individuals bring great value to your team, including:

• Gathering data for decision making
• Comprehensive problem solving
• Being accurate and intuitive

Analyzers are more task-oriented than people-oriented and they tend to move at a slower, rather than a faster pace.

Some Words that Work for Analyzers are:

• Factual
• Precise
• Verified

And, some Words that Don’t Work for Analyzers are:

• Imagine
• Educated guess
• Experimental

Is this you? Who do you...

We are talking about DISC and how the various DISC styles show up in your leadership and on your team. There are eight behavioral segments that we are going over one-by-one each week. Use the following information to give your team members a clear understanding and appreciation of the diverse individuals on your team.

What is the COORDINATOR Behavioral Segment?

Coordinators (S/C) tend to be fact-oriented and adhere to proven methods to complete projects and tasks. They make up 21.28% of the population.

These individuals bring great value to your team, including:

• Respect for authority
• Looks for logical solutions
• Objective outlook

Coordinators are right in the middle between people-oriented and task-oriented and they tend to move at a slower pace.

Some Words that Work for Coordinators are:

• Proven
• Standard
• Organized

And, some Words that Don’t Work for Coordinators are:

• Unfamiliar
• Hectic
• Incomplete

Is this you? Who do you have on your team who behaves this way? Do you have a...

We are talking about DISC and how the various DISC styles show up in your leadership and on your team. There are eight behavioral segments that we are going over one-by-one each week. Use the following information to give your team members a clear understanding and appreciation of the diverse individuals on your team.

What is the SUPPORTER Behavioral Segment?

Supporters (S) tend to be champions of sound ideas, working steadily and diligently to ensure a project is fully realized. They make up 11.9% of the population.

These individuals bring great value to your team, including:

• Being a good listener
• Being consistent and steady
• Building confidence in others

Supporters are more people-oriented than task-oriented and they tend to move at a slower pace.

Some Words that Work for Supporters are:

• Consistent
• Usual
• Secure

And, some Words that Don’t Work for Supporters are:

• Unexpected
• Urgent
• Confrontation

Is this you? Who do you have on your team who behaves this way? Do you have a...

We are talking about DISC and how the various DISC styles show up in your leadership and on your team. There are eight behavioral segments that we are going over one-by-one each week. Use the following information to give your team members a clear understanding and appreciation of the diverse individuals on your team.

What is the RELATER Behavioral Segment?

Relaters (I/S) tend to take time, think positively, and are focused on interpersonal relationships. They make up 20.08% of the population.

These individuals bring great value to your team, including:

• Being a team player
• Building strong relationships
• Having a positive sense of humor

Relaters are more people-oriented than task-oriented and they tend to move at a moderate pace, neither fast nor slow.

Some Words that Work for Relaters are:

• Easygoing
• Simple
• Responsive

And, some Words that Don’t Work for Relaters are:

• Complex
• Abstract
• Analytical

Is this you? Who do you have on your team who behaves this way? Do you have a...