A Centerpoint for Leaders e-publication designed to give you relevant and concise information on leadership and organizational development.

On Laughter and Leadership

And who says leaders can't or shouldn't laugh? Leadership without laughter is dry, dull, and boring. Leaders who can look at the lighter side as well as laugh at themselves will find leading others more pleasurable as well as more enriching. Laughter also makes it more enjoyable for the followers, too.

And who says leaders should not be self-deprecating? Self-deprecating humor is a quality that boosts the popularity of any leader — Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative — the ability to laugh, especially at yourself. This is a precious gift. Leaders with a sense of humor enjoy a tactical advantage connecting with the people, especially valuable getting through the difficult times. On the other hand, it a huge liability when you can't take a joke, and instead develop a thick skin, take criticism too personally and appear to be uptight and defensive.

by William A. Guillory

1. Establish personal credibility

2. Identify/appoint action team.

3. Establish 6-month mentoring process.

4. Create personal inclusion objectives.

5. Create an inclusion slide presentation.

6. Design a succession plan.

7. Create a 360° leadership instrument.

8. Implement a cultural survey.

9. Weave the impact of inclusion into everything.

10. Model respect, equality, openness, fairness, integrity, support and wisdom (the ethical dimensions of inclusion).

Cited and used with permission from Innovint.com. To read more, please click here.

by Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley

* First and foremost, make a commitment to master the Delphic instruction "Know Thyself."
* Take the free Myers-Briggs evaluation online.
* Learn to embrace diverse answers to a given question.
* Learn to multitask.
* Expand or develop mastery of some creative endeavor, e.g., writing, music, art, gardening, decorating, cooking, etc.

To actually take the Myers-Briggs evaluation online, go here. To read more about Quantum Thinking go here.

by Susanne Biro

Left untrained, our minds will often repeat the same collection of thoughts over and over again, sometimes for years. When we have not practiced mental discipline, we find ourselves in a state of constant distraction, unable to be fully present to any situation regardless of where we find ourselves. Try This. For one week, pay attention to the thoughts you think most often. Notice all the things you say to yourself about what is happening and what it means to you. Bring awareness to where you currently invest your most precious commodity — your attention. At the end of the week, answer the following questions: What are the thoughts I think most often? Which thoughts are useful to myself and others? Which ones are not? How can I more effectively focus my attention next week?

Cited and used with permission from the Bluepoint Leadership. To read the whole article, go here.

Leadermaker Group

Five minute podcasts are just a part of this website where you can sign up for seminars, buy books, and peruse other resources. Five minute podcasts are perfect for taking with you on your iPod or MP3 player — not too long, but long enough to get you hooked. The newest one, "Do Supervisors Like Biscuits and Gravy?" is available free by clicking here. Click on the first item on the right hand column to listen on your computer or download.

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