Comment on Node ant

steven sonsino — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:16:45 -0400

Stage actors often describe the audience as 'the final actor'. As audience members we immediately re-enact what's been played out in front of us but in our own heads. We merge our own interpretations and experiences with what's happened on stage. We bring our own emotional baggage to the story and make our own minds up as to what just happened, what was said.

The audience's listening is more accurately described, then, as a process of 'sensemaking'.

Just STOP leading badly

steven sonsino — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:15:38 -0400

After reviewing the motivational research of the last 20 years or so, and by comparing this with what participants in workshops and on our coaching programmes have told us over the past three years, it is very clear what managers should do.

The wrong question

steven sonsino — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:11:17 -0400

A tall, bookish man with little round spectacles sidled up
to me during the Wednesday morning coffee break. We were halfway
through a week-long leadership workshop at London Business School and I
could see him slowly making his way over. He introduced himself and we
chatted for a while.

And then he asked me The Question. You know, the one people always want to ask but it takes a while to mosey up the courage.

“So tell me,” he said, half joking, but half in deadly earnest, “what do I have to do to become an inspirational leader?”

There's no such thing as a quick leadership fix

steven sonsino — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:03:29 -0400

People are shocked at the beginning of my leadership seminars when one of the first things I say to them is not to believe a word I say.

‘You’ve got to make your own mind up,’ I suggest.

Why would I say that? Well, it’s because we can only speak from our own experience.