I’ve been blessed beyond measure by the mentors in my life who have made themselves available. Had each of them not been genuinely focused on seeing people’s worth, there’s no way I would have had so many of the opportunities I’ve experienced. Following those amazing examples, I’ve worked to pay it ...
In all the years I worked in behavior-based safety, much of our work was based on the premise that we can’t see someone’s attitude or emotions except through the action they take. That applies equally (if not more) when it comes to valuing others. I can say it over and over again, but there's little...
While it wasn’t necessarily a direct lesson I asked for at the time, the availability Terry has provided me with for close to three decades shows my just how much value he’s seen in me - as well as everyone else he’s mentored over the years. The humility he’s modeled through the process has taught m...
As we worked through steps for how developing others serves as a path to leadership, I shared how a reluctance to pass along knowledge, often out of a misplaced fear that it could diminish our own value, prevents us from providing a successor (or even a direct report) with all the guidance we possib...
When we see others’ worth and we’re humbly willing to make ourselves available to them, the time we invest supports their growth in ways we may never fully comprehend. We can easily count the seeds in an apple, but we can’t count the number of apples that come from one seed. By valuing others and be...
Seeing value in and being available for the people around us is critical; not just in a leadership role, but in every aspect of our lives. But just clearing time on our calendar may not be enough to earn trust and get the most possible value from diverse contributions, especially if we don’t display...
Even when we see people’s worth, being available isn’t (and shouldn’t be) a blank check. Valuing someone is wildly different than providing them with unlimited time at the drop of a hat. Whether it was Terry, Chris, or any other mentor who’s been a blessing in my life over the years, getting time fr...
The art of responsiveness requires listening (to build a foundation so we can adapt our response to our team’s needs) and investing in each responsive relationship (to give or receive mentorship), but quick decisions under pressure can sacrifice the influence we’ve worked so hard to earn - if we’re ...
The art of responsiveness will never be based on a cookie-cutter approach. If we start with listening, especially when we’re able to apply the DISC Model of Human Behavior to what we hear, we’ll be able to recognize what each individual needs and tailor a response that best serves that need. The art...
Practicing the art of responsiveness requires discipline, especially for a leader working to juggle all that demands their time and attention. Messages can and do come at us from every direction and some of the most critical, the ones that determine how the individual who sent it will feel valued at...
How often have you experienced someone listening to respond (read: recognize when they get to respond) rather than listening to genuinely understand what’s being shared with them? While they do indeed respond immediately, that has nothing to do with The Art of Responsiveness that we’re working throu...
Near the beginning of chapter six of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, titled “Time Hacker’s Handbook,” Daniel Pink challenges readers to “Reply quickly email” and shares this:
“Email response time is the single best predictor of whether employees are satisfied with their boss, acco...
