Dave's Library

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When it comes to conversations about our workplace, it’s no surprise that a deeply personal element comes into play. You spend most of your waking hours at work and share moments in that time that few outside of your coworkers have context and understanding to. So it only makes sense that the organizations’ culture and the relationships you build at work can mirror those you find within a family context. But what happens when you don’t have the right elements in place and a company masks their shortcomings and instills a false sense of belonging by touting a culture that works like a “family?”

In this article, we’ll outline the ways that the “family” metaphor can lead to dysfunction. As well as the steps team leaders can take to transform their dysfunctional fake families back into the thriving work teams they were trying to build in the first place.

Collaborative bosses can use curiosity to escape the echo chamber of their own ideas

Do you find yourself avoiding conversations on disabilities? Worried you'll offend a disabled friend? A disability rights activist shares ways to be a better ally and to destigmatize disability in America.

Change the word “they” to “we” when referring to anyone within your organization. This change in language helps create a team mindset. Hey, so I just got back from this cross-country bike ride. And I stayed in a whole bunch of different hotels. And when I would check in, I would listen for “they.” And...

Personal blog with heavy doses of bicycling, public policy, social justice, and family life.

by David Marquet

“Language is very important to me. I try not to refer to those at @studentmaidinc as "employees" or "workers." I avoid saying "I" or "My company." Instead I choose words like "people" and "team." I try to say "We" and "Our company." Small, but I believe it makes a huge difference.”

Leaders give information, not instructions. Rather than telling people what to do, try giving the relevant information and allow people to act for themselves...

The long read: Vacuous management-speak is easily laughed off – but is there a real cost to talking rubbish?

GE has been using 2 jets for the CEO, a primary and a backup. The CEO's comments about this use reveal a lack of leadership. In this article we analyze the statement.

We want our team to speak up and tell us when they don't think things are going in the right direction. However, it's not that the courage to speak up is too low, it's that the barriers to speaking up are too high. Here are four practices.

Leaders avoid asking "why?" as it puts people on the defensive and often comes from a place of judging, not from a place of curiosity. Instead leaders say "tell me more..."

It’s not about what you say; it’s about what they hear.

Learn more about this week's Leadership Nudge - http://wp.me/p770mH-qf Enroll for the Leadership Nudge - http://www.davidmarquet.com

Americans think busyness signals high social status.

"Are you sure?" is a simple easy phrase but it provokes our people into a binary yes or no. Better to ask "How sure are you?" and invite a probabilistic response.

Have you ever wished you could eradicate the ums and ahs right out of your conversation and especially your public presentations? Turns out those verbal fillers may play an important role in establishing trust, according to this Slate magazine article by Michael Erard: “…’uh’ and ‘um’ don’t deserve

A new study shows that pronouns are small, but potent, signals.