Talk Like a Leader

Commas and Periods

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Talk Like a Leader podcast in a weekly new episode format is coming to an end with this episode, and I'm sharing a thought for you regarding how...

The Best Way to Resolve Conflicts that Develop by Email

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been stuck in an email conflict? I have, too. In this episode, I'll share the best way to resolve them quickly. Additional Leadershi...

How You Listen Matters as Much as How You Talk

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The filter you apply when you listen to another person matters as much as the way you adjust your delivery for them to hear you better. The filter ...

People Are MORE Important than Things

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's Good to THINK Before You Speak

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You don't have to say something just because the thought popped into your head. Using the THINK acronymn, you can make better decisions about what t...

[Re-Release] Leading Remotely: The Importance of Intentionality

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is from 2020, but there are still a lot of important lessons about remote work that are still relevant now. Hope you enjoy! "As working f...

How to Get People to Listen to You

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People frequently ask me this question: "How do I get people to listen to me?" It turns out that there is both a short answer and a long answer. In ...

Capture and Confirm Attention

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

First grade teachers understand it and have a strategy to achieve it. Youth organization leaders understand it and have a strategy to achieve it. In...

Final Thoughts from The Rules of Civil Conversation

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode concludes my comments on the ideas found at therulesofcivilconversation.org. It looks at and summarizes the last four rules of civil c...

Getting Past Your Filters: The Halo Effect

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing the discussion of ideas drawn from therulesofcivilconversation.org, this episode looks at another cognitive bias (or filter) that can in...

Getting Past Your Filters: The Curse of Knowledge

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once you know something and it is obvious to you, it can be difficult to understand how it is not obvious to someone else. This "curse of knowledge" c...

Getting Past Your Filters: Fundamental Attribution Error

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Biases - we all have them. Learning to recognize our biases and get past them is one of the key skills of leadership communication. This week, I'm l...

Avoiding Logical Fallacies: Ad hominem and Genetic

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode, like the episode last week, is what I like to call a "lighthouse" episode. It's more about what to watch out for than what to do. I'm co...

Avoiding Logical Fallacies: Black-or-White and Middle Ground

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode examines how two common logical fallacies - Black-or-white thinking and Middle Ground solutions - can get in the way of effective leaders...

Reaching Shared Understanding

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode continues the discussion about The Rules of Civil Conversation and how they apply to Talking Like a Leader. Let's take a look at the f...

How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and you thought: "What is wrong with them?" I have, and it usually does not help me to communicate bette...

Feedback Sandwiches Usually Taste Bad

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The title basically says what I think of the feedback sandwich. In this episode, I'll share the problems with the feedback sandwich and what to do in...

Stop Using Constructive Criticism and Do This Instead

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Constructive criticism rarely delivers the results you want. It tends to be received badly and to have little to no positive impact on performance. In...

Separate Impact from Intent

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Humans love to look for patterns and reasons for things and then to build stories that explain what they observe. That tendency can create communicati...

Is Conflict Always a Bad Thing?

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Conflict sounds bad. Few people look forward to "conflict" discussions. More people avoid or look to escape conflict discussions than actively partici...

Six Questions for Collaborative Communication

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Collaboration is a big part of team work and joint problem solving. Leading a team meeting, coaching a team member on their performance, setting goals...

Kind is not Weak

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People often confuse kindness for weakness, and that can create problems. You do not have to be unkind in order to be strong. In this episode, I'll co...

Vulnerability Makes Connections

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I had an experience with about 120 young people aged 15-20 that taught me a lesson about the power of vulnerability to connect with people. ...

[REPOST] How to Be Assertive Without Being a Jerk

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Using assertive communication can help your to communicate more clearly and completely, and it has a risk. It's possible to try to communicate asserti...

Overcoming the Pull of the Past – Dealing with Leadership Undertow

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you step in to leadership, you inherit all of the good and bad of past leadership decisions for people who sat in your current seat in the past. ...

Oh No, I Made a Mistake I Knew How to Avoid!

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I was working in my shop, and I made a mistake that I new how to avoid. How is that possible? Both the answer to that question is in this ep...

Resolving Conflicts with Other Leaders in Your Organization

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent workshop, I got a question related to how conflict resolution with other leaders might be different from conflict resolution within the te...

How to Discipline and Employee After You Tried Everything Else

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You have tried everything you can think of. You have encouraged, corrected, and taught, and, still, they keep doing that annoying thing. What do you ...

Longing for the Past vs Looking to the future

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As much of the business world transitions from work from home to some version of hybrid or full work from the office scenario, leaders face the diffic...

The Impact of Relationship, Message, and Context

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Three factors affect every element in your communication effort – relationship, message, and context. In this episode, I'll touch on what each of th...

Three Steps for Handling a Persistently Negative Team Member

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A common question I get is: "How do you deal with a persistently or aggressively negative team member." In this weeks episode, I'll share three thing...

Assume (at least) Benign Intent

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today I got this question in a class: "How do you listen for content rather than delivery?" The answer: "assume (at least) benign intent." Listen to t...

How to Coach a Team Member Who is Doing Nothing Right

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A common question I get is: "How do I coach a team member who is doing nothing right?" In this episode, I'll share some thoughts and some strategies f...

Consider Alternate Stories

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This weeks episode is about helping you to elevate conversations rather than escalate situations by the way you respond. Considering alternate stories...

Short, Frequent Conversations Beat Long, Infrequent Ones

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The number of conversations you have with people is more important than the length of the conversations. Being mindful of the number of times you conn...

The Power of Meta Conversations

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meta conversations are basically conversations about conversations. As confusing as that sounds, they help you clear things up. In this episode, I'm t...

Experience Can Numb You to the Struggles of Others

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is the second lesson illustrated by an experience I had with my grandchildren, and it builds on my last episode – Expectations vs Real...

Expectations vs. Reality

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I'm sharing an experience I recently had with my grandchildren that illustrates a key leadership principle that connects expectations, the ...

Faith vs. Fear in Communication

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I have my friend and colleague Carl Smith as my guest. Join us as we discuss faith vs fear in our communication choices, mindsets, and beha...

Faith vs. Fear in Communication

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I have my friend and colleague Carl Smith as my guest. Join us as we discuss faith vs fear in our communication choices, mindsets, and beha...

Get on Their Side of the Table

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I discussed a peer-to-peer situation with a workshop participant, and it reminded me of a general communication principle that applies to c...

Use Affirmative Statements

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I'll share a simple and powerful concept that will significantly improve the clarity of your communication efforts. It applies to both spok...

Have the Difficult Conversation

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most people avoid difficult conversations because, well, they are difficult. Very few people enjoy confronting difficult situations, and it is the job...

6 Books for Your Reading List

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership communication is as much mindset as it is skillset. This week, I'm recommending six books you can read to improve both. Additional Leadersh...

More Context on Selling Change You Don't Like

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two episodes ago, I discussed four things you can do to Sell a Change You Don't Like. In this episode, I'm expanding and elaborating on those ideas. ...

[Re-release] Three Communication Resolutions

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we enter a new year, the idea of reflecting on the past year and thinking about changes for the new one are on many people's minds. Two weeks with ...

How to Sell a Change You Don't Like

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eventually, you will have to sell a change you did not initiate and you do not like. In this episode, I'm sharing four things you can do to more succe...

Why I Work Hard to NOT Get Angry

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I'm sharing a life lesson that comes from reflecting on years of leadership decisions about problem solving, conflict resolution, and perfo...

The Problem with Email and Instant Messaging

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Written communication can both speed things up and slow things down. Used well, email and instant messaging can make our communication better and fast...

Identifying Your Blindspots So You Can Guard Against Them

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One way to improve your communication effectiveness is to be aware of and sensitive to the things you do that hurt it. We call those areas of interact...

Three Questions You Can Use for Coaching Conversations

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A common concern expressed in our Bud to Boss workshops is getting the other person to speak in coaching conversations, project planning meetings, a...

We All Have Blindspots

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to see other people's blind spots. It's also easy to ignore our own. Focusing on other people's blind spots while ignoring our own seriously...

More Than Just Words: Tone, Body Language, Timing, and Environment

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's tempting to look for the right words and to think in terms of phraseology as the key to effective communication. Remember that communication is a...

What CAN You Do?

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I often here front line leaders express frustration and exasperation with what they cannot do in their role. This focus on what they cannot do often l...

Facilitate Connection

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Leadership communication is certainly about how you communicate directly with your team, and it is more than that. It also includes what you do to fac...

Beware the Sideways Comment

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, a friend of mine told me about a situation where he made a "sideways" comment during a management meeting, and it bit him. In this week's ep...

Confirm Understanding Before You Respond

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is based on something I experienced while leading a workshop last week. I had an interchange with a class participant that reminde...

The Danger of Assumptions

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Assumptions work dangerously on two directions: the assumptions we make about others and the assumptions they make about us. Both of these types of as...

Maximizing Your Communication Power

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Once you know your source of communication power, maximizing your power to become a better communicator is the next step. In this episode, I'm continu...

[Re-broadcast] Data Tells and Stories Sell

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Leaders rarely need to sell physical products or services to their teams, and that doesn't mean they don't sell. Instead of physical goods and service...

Know Your Source of Communication Power

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are three main sources of communication power you can lean on when you interact with others. In this episode, you'll learn what they are and how...

How You Can Blow Another Person's Mind

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Blowing someone's mind generally refers to surprising them in some way – usually in a good way. There's also a way that you can blow someone's mind ...

Remember to Close the Communication Loop

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Communication is two-way: message sent and message received. Sometimes the confirmation that a message was received is automatic. Sometimes it is not...

[Re-release] Three Ways to Irritate Others and How to Correct It

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're re-releasing one of our most popular episodes to date, Three Ways to Irritate Others and How to Correct It. In your Leadership journe...

The DISC Style That Makes the Best Leader

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People frequently ask – which DISC style makes the best leader? In this episode, I'll give you my answer to that question. It might not be what you ...

Beware of Either-Or Interpretations

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Viewing complex problems – like behavior change and goal achievement – triggers a problem for many of us. The problem is known as "binary bias" or...

Five Communication Strategies to Stop Using and What to Do Instead

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many communication strategies used in common, everyday communication that don't translate well to leadership communication. In this episode,...

How to Ask Questions Without Backing People into a Corner

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While I recommend that leaders develop the skill of asking good questions, I also recognize that questions can be perceived as attacking or interrogat...

The DISC Model is a Good Enough Model Not a Perfect One

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I frequently get questions about why and how I use the DISC model. One of the questions is: "Is the DISC Model the best model for working with people?...

How to Be Assertive Without Being a Jerk

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Using assertive communication can help your to communicate more clearly and completely, and it has a risk. It's possible to try to communicate asserti...

Using Stories to Coach with Impact

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a previous episode, I said "Data Tells and Stories Sell." In this episode I'm picking up that thread to look at how and why stories can help you ...

Control What You Can

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I lead a training session for new and aspiring leaders, and some of our discussion reminded me of an issue that many leaders – especially...

Focus on Similarities More Than Differences

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's both easy and tempting to focus on the differences we have with others in terms of focus and approach. It's better to focus on the similarities i...

All People Are Motivated

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have spoken with many leaders who get frustrated with the "unmotivated" person on their team. In this episode, I'm challenging the idea that anyone ...

Use Person First Language

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In talking with a friend of mine recently (Dr. Ashley Perkins-Shogren), I learned a phrase to better describe a communication pattern that I've been t...

Work the Problem

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode was inspired by something I heard Jason Hayes (Team leader on the TV show Seal Team) say. The concept focuses on separating busine...

The Future of Work with Kevin Eikenberry – Episode 2

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

My conversation with Kevin Eikenberry about the future of work and what leaders need to do to both prepare for and navigate through the return to the ...

The Future of Work with Kevin Eikenberry – Episode 1

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we approach the "end" of the COVID 19 pandemic, leaders face a new set of challenges with decisions and communication related to return to the offi...

If You Do Only This One Thing, Your Communication Will Improve

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many things you can do to improve your communication skills, and there is one thing that trumps every other strategy or tactic that I can th...

How Suggesting Ways for People to Improve Can Backfire on You

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you are in a leadership role, you will have conversations where you are discussing other people's behaviors, words, approaches to work, and resul...

How Suggesting Ways for People to Improve Can Backfire on You

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you are in a leadership role, you will have conversations where you are discussing other people's behaviors, words, approaches to work, and resul...

The Power of Communication or Personality Models

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week I discussed the problem with every communication or personality model, and this week I'm looking at the power of them. There are three thing...

The Problem with Every Communication or Personality Model

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every communication and/or personality model shares a common problem – even the DISC model that I use and teach has this problem. In this episode, I...

It's Better to Disarm Than to Strongarm

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In any conversation where there is a potential for disagreement, it's tempting to try to force – strongarm – the other person in to compliance or ...

Dealing with Two Potential Communication Challenges

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two situations frequently occur in leadership communication: the conversation that has gone off on a tangent and the conversation that need more time ...

Learning from Skilled Negotiators

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does leadership communication share with negotiation? In a word – persuasion. Coaching, implementing change, and collaborative problem solving ...

Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you disagree with another person's perspective, solution, or opinion, a very natural approach is to simply disagree. And, that approach rarely w...

Four Ways to Improve Your Communication Effectiveness

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode collects a number of ideas from across the skills of effective communicators and combines them in to a list of four specific thing...

Two Sides of the Need to Be Heard and Understood

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is important to remember that people need to be heard and understood and that the better we do that for others, the more likely they are to buy-in ...

Put Reciprocity to Work

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is more about what you communicate with your decisions and actions than it is about your words. The focus is on two things leaders do (of...

Building Relationships in a Remote World with Kevin Eikenberry

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In our third episode of three where we are discussing important ideas from his book, The Long Distance Teammate, Kevin Eikenberry and I look at buildi...

Building Trust in a Remote World with Kevin Eikenberry

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Eikenberry is with me for episode 2 where we discuss important concepts from his new book, The Long Distance Teammate. In this episode, we explo...

The Meaning of Ethical Visibility with Kevin Eikenberry

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Joining me this week is Kevin Eikenberry, co-author of The Long Distance Teammate. Kevin is with me for 3 episodes of Talk Like a Leader as we explore...

Team Member to Team Mate with Wayne Turmel

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I'm talking with my friend and colleague Wayne Turmel about an important concept from his new book, The Long Distance Teammate. Listen as Wa...

100 Episodes - Looking Back and Looking Forward

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks the 100th episode of Talk Like a Leader. I'm both looking back and looking forward. In this episode, I'm pointing back to the ten most...

What it Means to Talk Like a Leader - Revisited

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is episode 99 of Talk Like a Leader. I've got some great guests coming in the next few weeks. So, I'm taking a chance to look back a bit and summ...

You Can Never Be Too Clear

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As George Bernard Shaw said: "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." As a leader, it's easy to tell peo...

The Seven Deadly Sins of Conflict Resolution

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Conflict and other difficult conversations are not fun and often don't go well. They often don't go well because we do things during the conversation ...

Be at Peace

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is the last episode of 2020 and it concludes a series for four episodes drawing inspiration from the weeks of Advent. There will be challenges an...

Joy in the Journey

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is the third in a series of four episodes inspired by the weeks of Advent. This week I'm looking at bringing joy to your leadership journey and t...