Joe Contrera is the Founder and President of ALIVE @ WORK LLC, a leadership development company dedicated to helping Extraordinary Leaders Achieve Extraordinary Results. He is the author of three books. His latest, Extraordinary Results: Mastering the Art of Leading, Coaching, & Influencing Others, is quickly becoming a must-have resource for leaders in organizations across the country. It will not only change what you believe about leading, it will help you build your leadership skills so that you can successfully influence others.
“Just because some people are fueled by drama doesn’t mean you have to attend the performance.” ~Cheryl Richardson. drama: /ˈdrɑː.mə/ˈdræm.ə/ – n. a) a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces. Origin – from the Greek word drāmat, which simply means to perform, or to act. Have…
“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got , till it’s gone.” ~ Joni Mitchell Sometimes it takes losing something or someone to help us gain clarity on what we value in life. One way to prevent this from happening is making sure our values are in alignment with…
“Ideas without action are useless.” ~ Helen Keller This weeks’ topic is about ideas. After pondering the topic I had this realization: ideas are simply thoughts that when acted upon, materialize in the physical world. For example, the Empire State Building was just an idea that formed in someone’s mind. It took action and a…
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” ~ Henry Ford Do you consistently make the choice to empower yourself? There is a saying, count it all joy, which is an interesting thought, especially if you feel like your sitting in a situation that feels like anything BUT joy. Most of…
“Be curious, not judgmental.” ~Walt Whitman Curiosity may have killed the cat, but a lack of curiosity could be killing your ability to lead your people. Why? Because in order to be a great leader you must have a general curiosity about the people you lead. You have to understand what makes them tick,…
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” ~Abraham Lincoln It is easy to get caught up in the divisiveness that seems to be running rampant throughout our country at this time. The politicians in Washington D.C. can’t seem to get pass the bipartisanism that divides us even when the future of our country seems…
“Resentment (anger) is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” ~ Saint Augustine For awhile now, I have noticed more and more folks outwardly expressing anger and frustration towards one group or another, or one person or another. I am sure you have seen the same thing, you just have to…
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” ~ Bryant H. McGill The most important skill you can build on in your life is your listening skills. And yet…the single biggest issue negatively impacting most work environments and relationships is poor listening skills. Which begs…
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” ~ President John Quincy Adams Not very long ago, I had the opportunity to kick off a new group for our, Art of Leading, Coaching, & Influencing Others™ Program. It is an advanced learning experience that…
“Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn.” ~ Burt Bacharach Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with or present in front of 1000’s of leaders. On occasion, I have been asked, What makes a great leader? What are the traits of a great leader? Can…