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Interpersonal Skills Archives - Ideas for Leaders

Why Extraverts Don’t Necessarily Make Good Leaders

Photo by Alex Vasey on Unsplash

One resilient conclusion from leadership commentators and observers is the connection between extraversion and leadership—that is, extraverted individuals are more likely to become leaders than introverted individuals. Leadership research, however, continuously calls into question this conclusion. Consistently over time, the results are mixed: some research will show a link between extraversion and leadership, and other […]

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“I respect your opinion”: How to Improve the Exchange of Opposing Views

Photo by The Jopwell Collection on Unsplash

Individuals engaged in contentious conversations about controversial issues rarely communicate to others in the discussion that they are willing to respectfully consider opposing viewpoints—what social scientists “receptiveness.” One reason may be that these individuals are indeed not “receptive” to contrary opinions. Another reason, however, may be that they do not know how to communicate their […]

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Followers Can Fix the Damage of Leadership Incompetence

Statue of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza in Brussels (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Leadership involves a dynamic relationship between leader and follower to which both parties contribute. The study of “followership,” focuses on the vital role that followers play in the leader-follower relationship and, consequently, the role that followers play in the success of the organization. For example, poor followership, such as blindly following an incompetent or unethical […]

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Why Employees Are Suspicious of Unsolicited Advice

The Conversation, Théodule-Augustin Ribot (1823-1891). (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

One often-overlooked element of an organization’s success is sharing of advice— information with guidance or recommendations. Advice is clearly beneficial to the individuals receiving the advice, who can use it and learn from it, and thus improve their performance; as such, advice is also clearly beneficial to the organization’s performance as whole. Yet many employees […]

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The Listening Paradox: Why Listening Is Often Difficult

Photo by Franco Antonio Giovanella on Unsplash

How does one listen well? The answer—as revealed in an exhaustive review of the listening research published between 2000 and 2021—is often built on the speaker’s perception. For example, some common signs of a good listener include: acknowledging the speaker through non-verbal reactions (nodding the head) or verbal reactions (“hmm,” “yes”); continuing to watch the […]

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