Jim’s “Tru Leadership” Blog

Here are my 8 simple rules to help us succeed in business:     Learn To Handle Adversity Focus on the things we can control Give others the ownership of projects Anticipate and plan for contingencies Over-communicate updates and options     Lead People Effectively Respect everyone Analyze and recognize each […]

Have you ever been asked a really great question? 3 aspects of great questions are: 1. They make us think. 2. They lead us deeper inside our own purpose and toward finding our own answer. 3. We believe the person asking a great question has great value. […]

Changes in our business and relationships are happening faster now than ever before. Our first response is often, “This is terrible!” or “Now what?” and “So all my success will be forgotten?” and “Great, another new boss or team?” As we keep saying these things,  we drive […]

Force a smile in a tough situation Help an elderly person in the grocery store Smile at noisy kids – you were noisy once too! Count 3 things others like about you, right now Go compliment someone Think about your traits and values you are most proud […]

For your team it’s a party, but for you, the leader, it’s not. Here are tips for toasting and surviving the holiday party excerpted from business consultant Roz Usheroff. The Art of Toasting The concept of toasting is to honor someone who has made a difference or […]

“Wisdom is the reward you get from a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” Doug Larson These brains of ours are so loaded with information we can’t seem to sleep or listen. We read more information in one New York Times newspaper, than people […]

Oh, we get it! We need business success, productivity, and results at yearend, and we’ll reschedule training when things calm down. But they don’t calm down. Many pit crews of fast performing race cars stand ready with arms crossed shaking their heads while their driver continues speeding […]

I hear from so many emerging leaders,  “I’ve got the responsibility, but I have no authority. How can I lead teams if they won’t give me the authority?” Well, how is leading with authority working? Not well. We are not led by titles or power. We give leaders respect with titles or […]

The difficult employee – is it their intent to be difficult? As leaders we know employees push our buttons and the buttons of others on our team including our boss. We are on point to “fix” this or everyone looks at us as not fully competent to […]

I’m not a bad boss! I don’t yell, threaten, or manipulate. Really? Do I leverage bonuses, special projects, leadership awards, or trips as factors to motivate people? That’s “carrot manipulation.” The other type of manipulation is “stick manipulation.” – Many years ago, my boss, as we were driving in my […]