Leaders Know Positive is Different Than Soft

Some people push back when you ask them to take a positive approach in their leadership. They equate positivity with being nice, but being kind is deeper than empty hype like, “Good job” or “Nice work” or “Super!” You can’t be too kind. But, I agree you can be too soft. There’s a difference between … Read more

Leaders Know the World of Work is Changing (Part 3)

Like the many businesses right now, Group Dynamic is also changing. Yesterday, the current Group Dynamic staff met to talk about what the business will look like in 2022. Specifically, we discussed what we need to keep and what we need to change. For many years, the old model of Group Dynamic staffing included: Alan … Read more

The Gratitude Attitude

While it may be cliché to write a blog post about gratitude the week of Thanksgiving, it’s also a good reminder as we move into the holiday season. For many, November and December bring additional stress, frustration, and hardship. The last two years have been difficult. It’s human to dwell on our struggles. In fact, … Read more

Meeting Needs

“He would give someone the shirt off his back before they knew they needed it.“ These words came to mind as we celebrated the life of my wife’s grandfather a couple weeks ago. Do you know the feeling you get when you need help but you’re not sure what it could be? Then, suddenly, someone is … Read more

Leading with a Joyful Perspective

He was in his mid-50s. Unkempt hair. Tank top. Flip flops. Ripped jean shorts. No helmet. Riding a bike with a cigar in his mouth. I confess to making a quick judgment about how his cigar—before 8 a.m.—belied any effort on his part to be healthy by biking. And, I confess, I judged him quicker … Read more

People Are the Real Bottom Line

The Tokyo Olympics is in full swing, and I am loving every second of it. Of course, the big news of this year’s games has been U.S. gymnast Simone Biles. Most people expected her to make history in Tokyo by standing on top of the podium six times, sporting all six women’s artistic gymnastics gold … Read more

Leaders Leave Jobs with Respect, Dignity, and Gratitude

Leaving a good job isn’t easy. You’ve built relationships, learned valuable lessons about yourself and others, and developed new skills. Your job becomes part of your life story, whether you were there for one year or for ten years. Therefore, when it’s time, leave your job with respect, dignity, and gratitude. As I reflect on … Read more

Embracing Gratitude Improves Everything

I think I can speak for the majority of people when I say 2020 is not a year anyone wants to repeat. The toll this year has brought to individuals, families, businesses, communities, and countries has been heavy on several different fronts. The economic health, mental health, and physical health of the world have been … Read more

Embracing the Better Normal

“Normal” is such a relative term which encompasses a broad spectrum. Since the start of this pandemic, the phrase “new normal” has been used everywhere for just about every situation. The idea is that the pre-pandemic world was “normal,” and the current pandemic situation is the “new normal.” But post-pandemic life will, of course, go … Read more

Leaders Build Relationships by Avoiding Contempt

Perhaps it goes without saying, but it is important to note here: positive behaviors build relationships and negative behaviors destroy relationships. We’ve discussed in this blog the 3:1 feedback ratio. This ratio says for every piece of negative feedback you give, you need to give three bits of positive feedback. Of course, the positive and … Read more