Welcome to My Leadership Blog!

My blog is all about helping current and emerging leaders learn how to transform difficult conversations and dysfunctional workplace relationships into positive and productive ones.

I hope you find it helpful!

Most Recent Post

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4 Tips for Leading While Absent

When circumstances call for you be away from work in order to care for your family and/or for yourself, here are some thoughts on leading while absent.

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Essential Leadership Training: What to Consider and How to Choose

by Brie Barker

If you’re only going to read ONE post, THIS is the one! There are a lot of leadership training programs out there. Here’s what to consider before you choose which one will deliver what you need most.

Quick Decision-Making for Introverts

If you’re more introverted than extroverted, quick decision-making is something you’re not likely known for around the office. However, research shows this ability is critical to high-performing leaders and executives. Here are some tips …

Risk Management: Can You Save Your Organization?

I had a truly life-changing experience this past weekend. And it was only when I was thinking about what to write about in this week’s blog post that I came to see how it relates to leadership: it’s about risk management … and perhaps your organization’s very existence.

Addressing a Diminishing Job Performance

Addressing an employee’s diminishing performance is something that most leaders/managers consider to be a difficult conversation. Here’s how you can begin that conversation in a way that will set you on a path towards a positive and productive outcome.

Effectively Managing an Intimidating Employee

Amy is having trouble managing an intimidating employee named Mark and she needs to find a way to turn things around.

Culture Change: Beware the CEO Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, Part 2

Is the culture change in this organization going to happen? This conclusion from last week’s “case study” post explores what just might be going on with this CEO.

Culture Change: Beware the CEO Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Most would agree that it’s almost impossible to successfully bring about a major culture change throughout an organization without it’s leader as the ultimate champion of the initiative. However, this very same leader/champion can also be the reason the desired culture change is doomed to fail.

Learning from “Negative” Workplace Emotions

The idea of a passionate workplace conjures images of people who are brimming with smiles, positivity and energetic collaboration. However, you and your organization can also benefit from high intensity, “negative” workplace emotions — the “dark side” of passion.

Coaching – Code Monkey and Manager Rob (Teaser)

Coaching is an essential leadership skill. Watch this teaser video about Code Monkey and Manager Rob … any coaching ideas?

NVC vs. The Perfect Storm

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is one of two things you can practice when you feel your blood start to boil …

Relationships Define National Identity — Happy Canada Day?

If relationships define national identity, we need to do several things on a daily basis if Canada is to reduce the gap between those who suffer and those who prosper. It is not enough to say, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Relationships take work.

Dependable Evelyn’s Overdue Promotion

Have you been waiting for what you feel is an overdue promotion? Evelyn’s story may offer you some insight.

3 Steps to Retaining Top Talent When Denying a Promotion

Talent retention is a challenge in today’s competitive marketplace. When you have to deny someone a promotion, you need to communicate this carefully if you don’t want them to pack up and seek greener pastures.

Setting for Difficult Conversations – When a Park is Ideal

Choosing the right setting for difficult conversations, be they with your boss, your colleague or your staff member, requires some serious thought. Sometimes, a walk in a park is ideal …

Phone Conversations — How to Connect at Work

For those times when a face-to-face or video-chat aren’t possible, phone conversations are the next best thing. Here are some tips on how to connect!

3 Steps to Achieving Clarity in Workplace Conversations

Clarity in workplace conversations leads to clarity in the work. Read on to discover what 3 steps you can take to ensure you achieve it.

Essential Leadership Training: What to Consider and How to Choose

4 Steps to Detoxifying Toxic Employees — Step #1

Mention the term "toxic employee" and almost every manager will shudder as their mind conjures up an image of a specific employee, past or present. Consider this as you read: it's effectively managing these "troublesome" employees that justifies your paycheque; it's...

Leadership Education, Part 1: Raising Today’s Children to Become Tomorrow’s Leaders

People are not born leaders -- but every leader was born. The best leaders have another thing in common, regardless of what sector, industry or professional field they work in, and that's the ability to communicate effectively with people. Early childhood is the...

Whose Good Ideas Aren’t You Hearing?

As a leader, it serves you to consider where your own persona might be what's preventing you from hearing the potentially valuable ideas of particular employees. Don't miss the gems that aren't expressed with the fanfare of a brass band. Friends of my wife...

4 Ways to Earn Trust as a Leader

Trust is the lifeblood of effective, enduring leadership. Want your employees to trust you enough to follow you just about anywhere? Here are 4 things you can do to earn trust as a leader. Read the following list while embracing two important concepts: »...

Stacked Questions and The 3 Typical, Problematic Responses

If you lead a team of people, be they senior executives, managers or support staff, you might be unknowingly asking stacked questions. The end result is that you're not likely to get the information that led you to ask the questions in the first place ... and you...

The Value of “I” in “Team”

We all know the adage, "There is no 'I' in 'Team'." Actually, there are times when the 'I' needs to be embraced in order to get the most out of the team. I was working with a client this past fall -- we'll call her Josée -- who felt at a loss on how to better...

A Tragedy Leads to a Manager’s Dilemma

All managers are human ... and managers need to be able to reconcile their human values with their managerial responsibilities. Sometimes, that's easier said than done. Recently, I was helping a client -- we'll call him Jack -- who is less than a year into his...

The Workplace Relationship Dance

Introducing Guest Blogger Judy Kiar: Judy Kiar is an Ottawa therapist with over thirty years experience who, for the past fifteen years, has been serving individuals, couples and families through her private practice, Judy Kiar Counselling. Judy's guiding...

Mr. Spock and Workplace Relationships

Mr. Spock may seem like an odd source of wisdom regarding effective workplace relationships. After all, what could we possibly learn about such relationships between actual human beings from this logical, non-emotional, alien character from Star Trek? Well, quite a...

The Day I Quit My Boss

The saying that “people don’t quit their jobs, they quit their boss” holds a lot of truth. If you’ve had a such an experience, you're not alone. Actually, I’m right there with you. However, there's a deeper truth. Back in my twenties, had I known then what I know...

4 Major Communication Styles & How to Recognize and Adapt to Them — Part 5

Remember the premise for this series of posts: the quicker you’re able to identify and adapt to someone’s communication style, the better you’ll be able to get that relationship off to a good start right out of the gate. This is also particularly relevant if the...

4 Major Communication Styles & How to Recognize and Adapt to Them — Part 4

4 Major Communication Styles & How to Recognize and Adapt to Them — Part 3

4 Major Communication Styles & How to Recognize and Adapt to Them — Part 2

The quicker you’re able to identify and adapt to someone’s communication style, the better you’ll be able to get that relationship off to a good start right out of the gate. This is also particularly relevant if the relationship, by its nature, is a brief and...

4 Major Communication Styles & How to Recognize and Adapt to Them — Part 1

The quicker you're able to identify and adapt to someone's communication style, the better you'll be able to get that relationship off to a good start right out of the gate. This is also particularly relevant if the relationship, by its nature, is a brief and...

5 Steps for Mindfulness at Work

Developing and practicing Mindfulness is something everyone can do and it's a powerful skill in terms of creating and maintaining positive and productive workplace relationships. Many years ago, I took an 8-week course called the Mindfulness Based...

Beginning Our Connected Conversation …

Hello! My name is Brie Barker. I’m the Founder and Chief Learning Facilitator of Connected Conversations and I want to welcome you to my blog. If you already know me, then thanks for joining me on this new adventure. If we haven’t connected directly yet, then I...

About Brie

I help current and emerging leaders learn how to transform difficult conversations and dysfunctional workplace relationships into positive and productive ones.

Why? Because your health, career and organization may depend upon it. Really.

More about Brie

Brie Barker

Brie Barker’s

LEADERSHIP BLOG

My leadership blog is all about helping current and emerging leaders learn how to transform difficult conversations and dysfunctional workplace relationships into positive and productive ones.