Subscribe to NSCBlog
Subscribe to NSCBlog
Your Greatest Gift to Humanity
What is the greatest gift you can give to the world? Many answers come to mind; the simplest being to do the work to be…
Want Better Outcomes? Start Conversations with a Power Lead
What is a “Power Lead”? A power lead is a positive statement that frames what follows in a confident, decisive, affirmative manner: “This is really…
Trusting Loudly
Trusting loudly simply means letting others know that you are depending on them and is a way of expressing appreciation and gratitude. Being open with…
Showing Up Clean
At its simplest level, “Showing Up Clean” means having an open mind. Easy words to say but the ability to calmly hear opinions you disagree…
In Praise of Philoponia
Philoponia is a concept associated with the Stoics and its literal translation from the Latin is “a love of work”. But in the Stoic philosophy…
Three Keys to Influence
Three Keys to Influence: A summary of the “Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change” Whether you’re eradicating disease, improving customer service, or engaging struggling…
OCP=OR
We have a saying at my company: “Our Customer’s Perception is Our Reality.” (OCP=OR) Each one of us sees the world differently and when it…
A Leader’s Highest Leverage Point
Yes, a leader must show the way, articulate the vision, light the fire and yet… all that eventually is little use if a leader does…
Beware the Thomas Becket Pitfall
In any organization, there is a natural desire to please one’s boss. In general, a good, even excellent thing. However, when rules are cast aside,…
Two Lies Leaders Should Never Tell Themselves
Lie #1: “I’ve unique stress others don’t so understandable if I…” Even if the first part of the statement is true, the second is definitely…
Leaders are NOT Problem Solvers
This may be heresy to some traditional thinkers, but the primary role of a leader is NOT to be a problem solver per se but…
Consolidate Your Caring
It is possible to care too much, both from the perspective of 1) being ineffective and of 2) emotional exhaustion. Far better to positively impact…
Be Strong, Make the First Move
Whether it be breaking the ice or being the first to reach out in a relationship (be it friendly, family, or romantic) or being the…
The Faster You Run, the Behinder You Get: Why Telling Doesn’t Work
We all try to be efficient and offer good advice; when we see a problem, we offer solutions, earnestly trying to help. But what if…
Can Cautionary Words Become Discouraging Words?
Words carry weight and the message we intend to send is not always the message received. Supervisors often try to share “known failure paths” in…
Seven Habits of Happy People
They monitor their self-talk; keep it positive, solution oriented. They choose companions in life that challenge them to be their best. They Release. They focus…
Our Lives, Our Fortunes, And Our Sacred Honor
This July 4th, as we celebrate the 245th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we would do well to pause and reflect on the extraordinary…
Freedom Isn’t Free
This 4th of July As we celebrate our liberty, let us remember and honor the sacrifices others have made. “Freedom Isn’t Free” By Kelly Strong written…
Believe People UP, not Down
Sometimes when you fear the worst in people, you can destroy the best. Our expectations of people powerfully impact their behavior, especially at the margin.…
Believe in Your Inner Hero
There is a hero inside of all of us. Yes, inside you and yes, inside me. There is a hero dormant within all of us, just waiting…
Tikkun Olam
Tikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that is often translated as “repair the world”. In traditional Jewish teachings it is usually thought of as properly…
Beware Blur Words
Blur words or phrases are wording that is open to multiple meanings. Often blur words reflect the user’s interpretation of behavior that might have other…
Three Things Expert Negotiators Do That You Don’t
Realize or not, we are all in the influence and persuasion business; we all negotiate to one degree or another. Thus, to create better relationships…
Understanding Understanding – The Expert Blind Spot
The “Expert Blind Spot” refers to the tendency to forget how much you know, how challenging a subject matter can be to a novice, to…
WAIT: Why Am I Talking?
Given that we learn most when we listen and nada when we talk, why do we choose to talk? All too often, it is a…
Base Metal into Gold; Weakness into Strength: Mental Alchemy
As far back as 300 AD, the ancients wrote of a “philosopher’s stone” that could transmute base metal into gold. Well, I can’t tell you how to spin gold…