We all have biases. Some are conscious and intentional. Most are unconscious and hidden, even from our own self-awareness. One of the most common unintentional and unconscious biases is confirmation bias… a tendency to accept information that supports, proves or justifies our pre-held beliefs and ideas and ignores any information that doesn’t conform and confirm those views. Unfortunately, we all have confirmation bias. Yes, all. It is unavoidable and not good for companies that are hiring and managing people. Confirmation bias creates blind spots and leads to one-sided thinking. So how does a company overcome this when hiring?

Here’s how. Continue reading →

No company wants to be accused of bias in its hiring practices. Prejudice is bad for business. And many companies go to great lengths to demonstrate fairness in who is hired. Anti-discrimination policies are spelled out and communicated. But, despite every effort, there is bias built into the hiring process of every company. If not conscious bias, then at least unconscious bias is present because it is baked into the human brain. So how can a company successfully recognize and avoid the most common biases in the hiring process? It starts by understanding those hidden biases and then taking steps to mitigate their impact.

Here’s how. Continue reading →

Balance and moderation are boring. There is nothing exciting about equilibrium. Restraint and temperance are neither inspiring nor motivating. There’s no glory in keeping to the middle of the road and avoiding excess. Thrill and excitement is found at the extremes. And yet balance should be everyone’s goal because that’s where happiness and fulfillment are found. But balance is harder to achieve than any extreme workout, any gold medal, or breaking any record that measures endurance, strength, skill or talent. That’s because it requires relentless, quiet attention and perseverance. So how does one achieve and maintain balance?

Read more. Continue reading →

Most human behavior functions on a spectrum of least to most. Anorexia-Obesity. Indolent-Athlete. Sloth-Workaholic. Insomnia-Narcolepsy. Teetotaler-Alcoholic. Failure-Success. There are no names for people who are in the middle of the range for any of these behaviors, but there are names for the extremes. That’s because extremes are bad. Neither end of the spectrum is good, even when it comes to success. Happiness and well-being is found in the middle. That is balance, and it’s the hardest thing to achieve. Why is that? And what you can do about it?

Read more. Continue reading →

There are many companies that provide a product or service that is NOT bought, sold, provided or delivered online. In fact, there are many products and services that can’t even be quoted online. Those companies – such as medical practices, law firms, accountants, engineering companies, architecture firms, general contractors, etc. — often get most of their business through word-of-mouth referrals, repeat business and networking. They have a website but don’t really see the need for a more robust, active and engaging online presence. That’s a mistake.

Here’s why. Continue reading →

So much of communication has nothing to do with what is being said but rather how it is being said. The greatest orators in history all shared not only the ability to write powerful messages but also the skill to deliver those messages in an impactful way. That is a super strength. But for those who don’t understand how intonation, pace, rhythm, voice volume, and conversational styles work, even simple communication can be problematic. It is critically important for professionals to be able to be able to handle how they speak masterfully. Here are some tips to think about not only what you say, but how you say it.

Read more. Continue reading →

There can be a multitude of linguistic and conversational nuances that cause communication to ‘disconnect’. People can be put off by what is being said as well as how it is being said. The words you use matter. To master the art of communication, it is important to understand the nuances of linguistic and conversational styles, including your own.

Read More. Continue reading →

So much of business relies on conversations. We spend a lot of time talking. Negotiating. Persuading. Explaining. Advising. Guiding. Coaxing. Influencing. Encouraging. Our primary medium for doing this is speaking. The entire point of conversation is to understand one another. And yet, so much of human communication is misunderstood, falls flat or backfires. Conversations often go wrong. While there are a multitude of reasons for the ‘disconnect’, communicating with clarity is really an art every person in business needs to master. But it’s so much harder than you think.

Here’s why. Continue reading →

When you look up “redundant” in a U.S. dictionary, it says “no longer needed or useful; superfluous.” In a British dictionary, it says “no longer employed because there is no more work available.” Systems, processes and people who are redundant aren’t, by definition, needed or useful to a business. Based on those definitions, no business should want to have the expense of redundant staff, systems or processes. But, in virtually all organizations, some redundancy is a good thing. Actually, it is arguably an essential thing.

Here’s why. Continue reading →

What’s the decision-making process like at your workplace or business? If it’s subpar, you’re not alone. A survey by McKinsey found that few organizations are happy with how they make decisions. Decisions are either fraught with mistakes (due to a lack of insights or distorted by emotion) or bogged down in indecision and friction. In business, decision-making is too often a lose-lose situation. The bigger the company and the more complex the business, the worse it is. If businesses need their decision-making to be quick, precise, and mindful of the entirety of their business – which they do – how can a business improve the decision-making process? Introducing Decision Intelligence.

Read More. Continue reading →