Exercises to help you work better with other people

It’s not hard to identify when things need to change within your business, when sales drop, or morale is off kilter, or production is hitting lows. What is not so readily apparent is the underlying causes of these problems. Often, the problem starts with you. As a leader, you need to be able to reflect on yourself and see if you are causing part of the problem. Here are several scenarios to consider.

Your “person effect”

Do you ever wonder why people are responding or not responding to you as a leader? If you think it may have to do with you, you are probably right. There is something called “the person effect”, which is the unique impact, positive or negative, a person has in coming across and connecting with others. It includes the leader’s state of being, their words, and their physiology. Reading this will help you understand the effect you are having on others.

Your standards

Many executives place far too much stress on themselves and their teams as a result of what psychologists call “unrelenting standards” – the constant pressure to achieve impossibly high levels of performance. This exercise will help you recognize if you have unrelenting standards.

Your emotional intelligence

Emotions are data. We all have them, but they don’t have to control the situation. Like any piece of information, you should evaluate your emotions and how they impact your circumstances. This will enable you to not get stuck and move forward with the reality that is in front of you. Emotional intelligence is a skill you can build. Read how to do this here.

Your relationships

Navigating workplace relationships may be one of the biggest challenges a leader faces. But there are steps you can take for tackling some of the trickier situations. Here are a few examples.