Dan Bobinski
Daniel Bobinski teaches teams and individuals how to use emotional intelligence and how to create high impact training. Hes also a best-selling author, a popular speaker, and he loves helping teams and individuals achieve workplace excellence
Engaging change: six tips for surviving and thriving
28 Feb 2019
Such is the pace of change today that every day seems to present new challenges and opportunities. So how managers adapt to the changing horizon can make the difference between surviving or thriving.
So you're a manager. Now what?
01 Jun 2017
As managers, we can either choose to value and develop our team members or we can look for ways to elevate our own stature. Do you know which category you fall into?
Training is a profit center, not an expense
17 Mar 2016
It can be tough to calculate the value of training, so some people view it simply as an expense. But if you crunch the numbers properly, its true value quickly becomes apparent.
The price of poor listening
03 Feb 2016
Hearing and understanding someone else's point of view is a learned skill that requires effort. But it's one we all need to make. Because poor listening leads to misunderstandings, errors, bad decisions, loss of team cohesion and costly mistakes.
Believe, and help others see why they should, too
18 Nov 2015
The power of belief is foundational to success. People who look at a challenge and say 'I can't' have already determined their outcome. That's why it is so important that managers engage team members by communicating belief in their abilities.
Is learning part of your strategic plan?
15 Sep 2015
Over the years I've observed that business leaders pay scant attention to aligning their training efforts with their strategic vision. After all, the ROI from organizational learning does not have a line in the budget, so it is easily overlooked. Big mistake.
Are you a builder or a climber?
23 Apr 2015
Over the years, dozens of different types of leaders have been identified. But as someone who believes that simpler is usually better, you can forget all of those because I've boiled down all those styles to just two basic types: Builders and Climbers.
When you train, are people learning?
06 Mar 2015
Many managers are expected to train their staff. But if no one has ever shown them how to do it effectively, then how could they possibly know? They way adults learn is not a preprogrammed brain file, nor is it installed in us when we're born or when we become a manager.
Why new managers encounter trouble
15 May 2014
Newly-appointed managers rarely thrive without help. So before you promote someone to a management role, ask yourself whether you're willing to do whatever it takes to ensure they succeed. Because if you're not, you could be asking for trouble.
The key to a quality training program
02 May 2014
Getting training right can be like herding cats. But the secret isn't the talent of the trainer or even the comprehensiveness of the training. It's the desire within everyone concerned that the training be a success.
Do you suffer from adult syndrome?
17 Mar 2014
There's a serious disease that seems to affect every workplace I have ever come across. I have called it 'Adult Syndrome' because it affects almost every person much over the age of 18. Luckily, there is a cure: it comes in the form of a large, thick slice of humble pie.
Unlocking the value of HR
05 Mar 2014
At the heart of all workplace and management issues are people. It's people who make or break the bottom line, which means that your HR people can add real value to it if you let them.
This is who I am - deal with it
21 Feb 2014
Before we start to pick holes in others, we need to look at ourselves first. That's why managers whose attitude is, 'this is who I am, deal with it' are so toxic, and why the higher up the ladder they climb, the worse the fall-out can be.
Plate overflowing? Learn how to say 'no'
03 Feb 2014
We all need boundaries. So if you're feeling overloaded, overbooked and overwhelmed, perhaps it's time to regain a sense of sanity and learn how to say 'no'.
Ten universal principles of the workplace
20 Jan 2014
Management fads come and go, but there are certain principles of good management that should be set in stone. So without further ado, here are 10 fundamental truths that together create a healthy, engaged and high-performing workplace.
With resolutions, you go where you're focused
27 Dec 2013
At the beginning of each year, millions of people and companies make New Year's Resolutions. And every March or April, most can't recall what resolutions they made. The main reason? They did not focus on their goals.
What I look for in your job application
19 Dec 2013
Over the past few weeks, I've been screening applicants for several high-level positions. But despite their seniority, some of the submissions I've seen have been horrible. Here's what I'm looking for and don't want to see when I review an application.
Have you wasted any money on training lately?
04 Nov 2013
Most companies look at training as an expense. That attitude couldn't be more wrong. Training is a profit center in most circumstances, especially when you consider the costs of not carrying it out.
Core responsibilities for effective managers
30 May 2013
Most people who quit their jobs don't quit their jobs, they quit their boss. In other words, they get tired of dealing with someone who's not doing what's needed in the management role.
Rudeness will lose you business
15 May 2013
In all aspects of life, politeness and professionalism go a long way. Rudeness will lose you business. You would think that people would realize this, but alas, it seems the lessons still need to be taught.
The only person holding you back is you
23 Apr 2013
When it comes to achieving success, you may fall short if you merely focus your thoughts on being successful. You greatly increase the likelihood of success when you 'see' yourself succeeding.
The Applebee's debacle
05 Feb 2013
This past week a server was fired from Applebee's for violating the company's social media policy. Since then, a firestorm has erupted, with tens of thousands of people saying they won't eat at Applebee's anymore unless the company rehires the server. Here's my take on the situation.
More from Dan
Thoughts on first impressions
18 Dec 2012
In the past, whenever I've returned to the United States after travelling abroad, I've always been glad to get home. But this year, for the first time in my life, the way I've seen U.S. airport employees treat the public has made me embarrassed for America.
Five ways to help your sales team
27 Nov 2012
Selling is wrought with failure, rejection, and frustration. That's why your sales team needs to be nurtured, encouraged and supported. It might take a little effort, but remember, if your sales stop, so does your business.
The ripple effects of workplace lies
13 Nov 2012
Few things are more frustrating than suffering the consequences that stem from someone's lies. People lie for a myriad of reasons. But whatever the motivation, lies have ripple effects that can cause damage throughout an organization.
How to fail as a boss
22 Oct 2012
Holding the title of 'boss' doesn't mean you have the right to act like a dictator or a jerk. Life is not a continuation of how you acted in high school. You're in a real world of real people who want to contribute. Your job is to put off childish ways and start treating others with respect.
What is your true calling?
08 Oct 2012
What were you meant to do with your life? What is your passion? Are you currently working in your true vocation? If not, perhaps you would benefit from taking time to rethink your core reason for being.
Want to get promoted? You need new skills
02 Oct 2012
In many organizations, leaders seem to assume that managers should automatically know how to get along with and how to train others. Sadly, this isn't true. Management skills rarely come via osmosis.
What your people really want
14 Aug 2012
One of the biggest gripes many of us have about work is that our organizations won't put policies and practices in place to support their own goals. That means they aren't open and forthright about their direction and don't seek input from staff before making important decisions.
Turtles only advance when they stick their neck out
08 Aug 2012
The world is full of insightful quotes. It's one thing to agree with them. It's something more to incorporate their truth into our lives. What I like about many quotes is that they reflect universal principles of success, and who in their right mind doesn't want more of that?
Stop the blame game
18 Jul 2012
When something goes wrong, the first thing many people do is look for someone to blame. But this isn't just ineffectual, it's a sign of weak leadership. If people want to step up and be leaders, they should stop blaming and start looking for solutions.
Another one bites the dust
28 Jun 2012
Too many organizations take valuable employees and set them up to bite the dust. How? Because they don't have a clear-cut plan for equipping newly-promoted employees with the skills they need to succeed in their positions.
Customers: love 'em or lose 'em
18 Jun 2012
Do you ever wonder how many customers your business may have lost due to customer service blunders? Statistics show that after only two negative incidents at any place of business, people are likely to shop elsewhere which makes customer satisfaction a more important goal than ever.
The ripple effects of inefficient management
24 May 2012
Today. more than ever, managers need to plan and coordinate for efficiency, not with efficiency. Note the difference between the two: the former results in profits; the latter in costly mistakes.