http://paddyspruce.org Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:49:33 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Listening is often seen as a weak way of influencing others. It can be as strong as the most assertive behaviour. It is similar to not taking the bait and entering into a useless argument. It is not strong to respond to a baiting comment. It is strong to resist ... http://paddyspruce.org/2008/06/18/listening-as-a-way-of-influencing-others/ People usually give goals a thought at the start of the New Year. You know the usual mantras ‘ The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan’. Let me suggest something different for 2008 and maybe what’s left of 2007. Rather than focus on a goal that can be achieved ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/12/20/the-value-of-values/ I was working with the Melbourne Zoo and was told how two elephants adapted to the new enclosure. The new enclosure was larger, greener, provided a swimming pool and was more like the natural environment of an elephant in the wild. You’d expect two elephants to react positively to such ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/11/05/emotional-slippage/ According to the Oxford Dictionary, a hero or heroine is a person who exhibits extraordinary bravery, firmness or greatness of soul in connection with any pursuit, work or enterprise. One who does brave or noble deeds. Our society seems to value heroes and heroines who earn their status in a moment ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/10/22/so-whats-a-heroine-anyway/ There are some people that you really connect with. Why? Why can’t you do it more often? Why can’t you do it on purpose? You know what I mean; you skip first base and get to know them so quickly. The rapport is almost instant. Maybe you are interviewing people ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/10/12/really-connecting-with-people/ Do you have a job? Just a job, I mean, you do it for the money? If you won enough money, you would quit on the spot? o you have a career? If you work hard and get your qualifications you will move a rung on the ladder. Maybe you will ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/10/02/just-a-job/ The original meaning for 'silly' was more about enjoyment than looking foolish. You can imagine someone looking at a person having a wonderful time and judging that this person looked foolish or ‘silly’. Silly walks, silly hats, silly answers. If you are having fun you will look silly to someone. Better ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/09/17/are-you-silly-enough/ Some years back I remember walking along a corridor with a CEO. A member of his organization passed us and greeted him. He did not respond. When we returned to his office I mentioned the incident and he was not pleased. I wondered what his silence has cost the organization ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/09/04/how-your-behaviour-affects-others/ A 1999 study conducted by Sigal Barsade at the Yale School of Management show that cheerfulness and warmth spread easily among working groups whilst irritability caught on less so. It will not surprise you to know that laughter is very contagious. When we hear laughter we find it difficult not ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/08/21/laughter-is-contagious/ Imagine if you threw rose petals at people. At the end of the day your hands would smell like rose petals. On the other hand, what if you threw elephant poo at everyone you met. The magic of positive reinforcement is not well understood. Put very simply, what you reinforce ... http://paddyspruce.org/2007/08/07/smell-your-hands/