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5 Ways to Stay Calm When Addressing Abrasive Behavior

By Bonnie Artman Fox / February 29, 2024
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You’re a leader responsible for addressing the abrasive behavior of one of your top performers. In the midst of telling her you’ve received complaints about disrespectful treatment of employees, you remain calm. Your tone conveys that you genuinely care about helping her overcome negative perceptions about her leadership style. Moreover, you reassure her that you’re…

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5 Steps to motivating abrasive leaders to change

By Bonnie Artman Fox / October 11, 2023
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If you are on the verge of losing valued employees because of a top-performing leader’s abrasive behavior, you’ll appreciate the following 5 steps to motivating abrasive leaders to change. Perhaps you’ve heard complaints from employees as they head for the door:   TEAM MEMBER A tells you she’s leaving because of repeatedly being yelled at in…

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What is a Fixer? The Costs and Benefits of Taking Charge

By Bonnie Artman Fox / August 22, 2023
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Have you ever found yourself stepping into a situation at work or at home, and taking on the task of solving other people’s problems?  Perhaps at the expense of your time, energy, and even money, you tend to step in to save the day? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the demands of constantly trying…

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How self-awareness optimizes your leadership and decreases your blind spots

By Bonnie Artman Fox / August 3, 2023
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Welcoming difficult feedback from a colleague can be uncomfortable, but it’s a critical step toward personal growth and improving your leadership impact. Self-awareness in leadership fosters personal growth and decreases your blind spots. Despite how uncomfortable it is to hear, were you actually grateful that someone on your team had the courage to speak honestly about…

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Does the look on your face create psychological safety with your employees?

By Bonnie Artman Fox / July 27, 2023
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Most leaders don’t learn how to create psychological safety until it’s too late. The skillset necessary to strategize your business plan, create systems, and monitor metrics is not the same skillset necessary to retain employees to run your day-to-day operations. That’s why having interpersonal skills that create psychological safety with your employees is so important.…

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Why self-control is the engine of your success

By Bonnie Artman Fox / July 20, 2023
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Do you have a goal you’ve been striving for but haven’t yet reached? Whether it’s finishing a project, addressing team dysfunction, or having a tough conversation, self-control is the engine of your success. It’s the driving force that keeps you focused and persistent, and tools like the If-Then Plan can help you harness that power…

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How to give honest feedback to an abrasive superior

By Bonnie Artman Fox / June 8, 2023
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By all accounts, Jack is a successful leader. He’s an industry trailblazer that others look to for his expertise. Financially, he is doing well and his business is thriving. On the outside, Jack has many markers of success.  What Jack doesn’t realize is how abrasive his behavior is to others.  What is obvious to others…

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3 Essential Qualities of Determined Leaders Who Don’t Give Up

By Bonnie Artman Fox / May 31, 2023
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There are 3 essential qualities of determined leaders that set them apart and enable them to persevere through challenges inspiring their teams to succeed. Have you ever stood in a landmark of history and had chills go up and down your spine? To have a feeling of awe of being where monumental events occurred that…

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How one leader learned to deal with an angry boss

By Bonnie Artman Fox / May 25, 2023
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Learning to deal with an angry boss can be challenging, but it’s often influenced by how we handled conflict growing up. For Lee, a senior leader featured in How Did My Family Get In My Office?!, her childhood experiences with an unpredictable and angry father shaped the skills she now uses to navigate workplace challenges with…

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The Hidden Benefits of Self-Awareness in Leadership and Teamwork

By Bonnie Artman Fox / May 18, 2023
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Self-awareness in leadership is a critical factor in building strong teams and fostering productivity. Research shows that leaders who understand their own values, emotions, and behaviors inspire their teams to perform at their best, creating an environment of trust and collaboration. Almost everyone thinks they’re self-aware. According to research by Tasha Eurich, only 10-15% of…

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