A lot of leaders and employees get scared when they hear the termdiversity training. Perhaps this happens because people have had to go through mandatory workshops where they were told how to behave and what they were doing wrong. Workshops like that (regardless of the topic) are a recipe for disaster because they don't take into account that people basically want to get along with each other and build successful organizations. The bottom line on diversity is that it simply helps people celebrate the great things about other. You get to learn about other people and use their talents, perspectives and abilities to build a stronger organization. The sky's the limit as to what you're able to do with all this new knowledge and information. If you're still concerned, here are ten reasons why diversity training isn't scary. You get to find out what secret talents your employees have. Your employees get to know you better. You can build stronger, more effective teams. Lessworkplace conflict, friction and wasted time. Move beyond cliques and turf wars. More trust between employees. Happier workplace at all levels. Greater morale and motivation. You get to lead more effectively. It feels better to get along with others. We devote so much time and energy to not getting along that we often forget there is a huge reservoir of positive energy and goodwill when we connect with people. When we know and understand each other better we can work together based on the things we have in common. The result is a more enjoyable workplace but none of it happens without you. What will you do to promote diversity in your workplace and celebrate everyone who works there? Take care, Guy I help peopledevelop self-awareness. ...read more

Have you ever met or worked for a leader who had no clue they were making a mistake? Take that to the next level and you have someone who perhaps is unable to look at their own behaviors. This is often referred to as self-awareness and means that leaders understand themselves well and understand how their behaviors affect them and their employees. The key concept forbetter leadershipis the part about how you treat your employees. Too often leaders focus on how well they're doing rather than how well the whole team is doing. This causes a workplace dynamic where the leader is always the center of attention and everyone else has to just deal with it. Here are 10 practical ways you can lead better starting today. Let go of the need to control people and situations. Don't worry about whether you look good. Don't be afraid to admit you made a mistake. Praise your employees. Plan out your days, weeks and months; preferably with employee input. Stop micromanaging. Find ways to give your employees more independence. Let your employees choose what kind of work they like to do. Listen to your employees. Behave kindly toward everyone. These ten practical ideas have important consequences in the workplace. The allow us to get more done with less effort while creating happier organizations. People know this stuff instinctively but they don't put it into practice because they've never tried. What will you do to be a better leader? Take care, Guy I help peopledevelop self-awareness. ...read more

Team building doesn't have to be difficult. All you really need to do is help people get along better and get more done. Here are some practical ideas to helps you get ateam buildingprogram started in your workplace. 1. Set up ongoing team building meetings, preferably once a week. 2. Set up activities that help people build relationships and talk with each other on a deeper level. 3. Find afacilitatorwho understand how to bring people together. 4. Focus on people's behaviors; how they will act to work better in teams. 5. Set up a calm, encouraging atmosphere with no interruptions. 6. Leadership should be involved as well as employees at every level. It's advisable for team building to be learned first by the leaders and then other departments. 7. It doesn't matter what activities you do as long as people are connecting in a deeper way. 8. Stay away from competitive activities where someone "wins." 9. Promote kind and empathic behavior. 10. Have fun and keep practicing until it becomes the new way of doing things. The secret to effectiveteam buildingis to set up a work environment where people trust each other and feel comfortable interacting in any situation. There are no strict rules you have to follow, just remember that you're trying to help people behave in meaningful ways. What will you do to get started? Take care, Guy I help peopledevelop self-awareness. ...read more