DEVELOP A BETTER SELF-AWARENESS

Find out what triggers negative emotions in you… Think about the way you react to things. Allow yourself more time to consider things calmly.

Find out what makes you happy.

Don't be fooled by yourself or others in a bad mood.

Develop your emotional intelligence.

Become more observant of others and understand their motives better

Find a better form of rapprochement without losing your own identity.

SOLVING RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGES

There is no guide or handbook to relationship problems, but there are ways to deal with them.

First of all, it is important to take good care of yourself. Only then you will have enough reserve to deal with the crisis.

Talk to (a) good friend(s) about your relationship and find a listening ear.

Communicate honestly and openly with your partner. While not easy, realize that relationship's have their ‘ups' and ‘downs’, which doesn't necessarily mean it's all over.

Respect the differences in your relationship, embrace them because they can be a source of new perspectives.

Take a break in the relationship so that you can both reminisce about what you want, who you want to be with, or what you can do to make the relationship work again.

HANDLE CONFLICTS BETTER

Keep the peace and don't put in more effort than the issue is worth and know when to stand up for yourself (or not).

Develop an effective style of conflict resolution by building in a useful cool-down period and giving everyone time to consider all points of view (conflict avoidance).

Learn to realize that 'win-win' is not always the right answer, but that "lose-lose" can also be "win-win" (seek compromise).

Consider the needs and wishes of each party and negotiate a win-win solution to everyone's satisfaction (seek cooperation).

And if there really is no other option; choose for the battle and calculate your chances (competition).

DEVELOP YOUR LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

By showing that you have what it takes to be a leader, you can speed up your career. If you are looking for a new job or promotion, you are more likely to get there, if you have a good track record of leadership success in your professional and personal life.

Be a critical thinker; because good leaders foresee potential problems before they arise.

Learn to listen and give feedback, because effective listening to employees and customers is necessary for effective leadership.

Positively motivate and influence others, encourage them, empower them, and be their support system.

MAKE YOUR TEAM MORE EFFECTIVE & PRODUCTIVE

The first rule of team building is obvious: to lead a team effectively, you must earn respect from every team member first. Remember that the most effective team leaders build their relationships on trust and loyalty instead of using fear and the power of their position.

Realize that every input can be of value.

Clarify the broad outlines of your objectives.

Delegate problem solving to self-managing teams.

Use consensus, set goals, solve logistical problems and have an action plan with deadlines.

Set a framework… The more experienced the team, the broader the frame.

Always check results afterwards to assure them.

APPLY IT DURING CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Never delegate large-scale organizational changes to middle management.

Actively seek employees’ feedback before changes take place.

Respect the organizational culture, but don't let it dictate the intensity and scope of the change.

Clearly communicate your strategy and reasoning behind the change.

(source: Gallup)

IMPROVE YOUR DECISION TAKING

Never base your decisions on a ‘hunch’ or premonition.

Consider all processes well in advance.

Avoid bias or prejudice.

Make strategies particularly relevant to the work floor and first-line employees.