Best of thoughtLEADERS 2016: A Basket of Kickass

It’s time again for our annual year in review list of the BEST posts we’ve published over the last 12 months. Welcome to the 2016 edition of The Figgies (our EIGHTH YEAR of em!  Wow!) which are the awards we give ourselves for writing awesome blog content (here are the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 editions of those awards).

This is an annual event at the thoughtLEADERS Blog. This list is comprised of our most viewed, most forwarded, quirkiest, most provocative work. Enjoy. Share. We’ve loved writing them. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading them. I don’t ask a lot of you folks so I have two small requests as your holiday gift to me (you are getting me something, right?):

1. Invite all your coworkers, friends, and family to come check out the blog and become readers. The only way we all get better is by raising everyone’s game. I’m not asking a lot here. If you found this blog helpful at all this year, here’s your chance to return the favor for all our hard work. Just email folks and tell ’em to come take a look.

2. Pick up a copy of my books. They make great holiday gifts for the professionals in your life. The titles include:

One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful Personal Leadership. In the words of Roland Smith (former CEO of Wendy’s/Arby’s) “This book could change your life.” To get a sense for what the book is about, read this free ChangeThis Leadership Manifesto which is based on the book. If you like the manifesto, you’ll love the book.

Lead Inside the Box: How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results. “Finally, a leadership book that cuts through all of the noise. This book needs to be on every leader’s desk!” – Andrea Procaccino, Chief Learning Officer, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

The Elegant Pitch: Create a Compelling Recommendation, Build Broad Support, and Get it Approved. If you’re looking to get to “yes” for your idea, this book will give you the method for doing so in an efficient and effective way.

Thanks for your incredible support in ’16 and best wishes for ’17! We hope to be a part of your future success!  Now on to the best of list!

Best Advice for Boosting Sales: The Simplest Sales Boosting Technique EVER.  Sales are the lifeblood of any company. No sales, no company. In a competitive world, it’s hard to get through to your prospects. The good news is there’s a simple technique that should immediately boost your numbers and you can start doing it right now.

Best Suggestion for Improving Staff Meetings: 3 Tips for Making Your Staff Meetings Not Suck.  Staff meetings can be incredibly productive. Or unproductive. More often the latter. If your staff meetings are terrible, it’s your fault because you’re not structuring them well. With a few small changes, you can make those meetings valuable (and shorter).

Best Millennial Guidance: How Millennial Managers Work with and Manage Other Generations Millennials are leading teams full of people older than they are and those numbers grow every day. Here are some tips both for the Millennials doing the leading and the people being led.

Best Run DMC Cameo: Learn the Power of Shutting Up. It’s hard to keep one’s mouth shut. While there are times to share your thoughts and ideas, many other times require a much quieter approach. The more self-aware you are about the balance between talking and listening, the better you’ll be able to lead your team.

Best West Point Reference: Protecting Yourself When You Make the Tough Ethical Choice. I can guarantee you’ll face a major moral/ethical dilemma situation at least once in your career. Even if you make the right decision, you’re still at risk for bad things happening. Here are some tips on navigating those sticky situations.

Best Use of Italian Rainbow Cookies: 6 Steps for Success When You Get Layered at Work. Getting “layered” at work is stressful. Having a new boss inserted between you and your existing boss changes all relationship dynamics. There are 6 key steps you can take to successfully navigate a “layering.”

Best Communication Advice: Why Boiling Ideas Down Will Always Burn You. Getting to the essence of an idea by “boiling things down” can lead you to create less-than-compelling arguments and recommendations. Instead of boiling things down, think instead about creating a core idea that will resonate with your audience.

Best Ways to Manage Up: Managing Up is About Expectation Management. Managing up can be challenging. Failure to meet your boss’s informational needs can lead to bad decisions and frustrating interactions. Learn how to manage up more effectively.

Most Practical Communication Advice: How to Select the Right Communication Vehicle. Choosing the right communication vehicle for making a recommendation has a huge impact on whether your idea gets approved or not. If you’re thoughtful about your choice, the odds of getting to “yes” go up dramatically.

Most Savory Analogy Post: Peeling Pineapple Problems Requires a Proven Process. If you have a challenging problem to solve, approaching it in a methodical and structured way can make you more efficient and effective in your search for a solution.

So there’s the best stuff we published this year. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for all your support this year. I’m really looking forward to sharing more ideas with you in 2017!

Again – please invite your friends to come check us out (just share, tweet, or email this post for starters) and also grab your copy of our books. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

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