Tagged With "Leadership behavior"
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Human Behavior & the Spread of Livestock Diseases
By Scott Merrill and Eric Clark, University of Vermont The Social Ecological Gaming and Simulation (SEGS) Lab is a multidisciplinary research lab designed to examine pressing problems in the interacting domains of natural ecology and human society. We work on problems ranging from water quality and energy, to looking at how Covid-19 related social distancing behavior changes in different environments – from the grocery store to the park. We also are engaged in trying to understand the...
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Your Leadership Puzzle (Part 2)
Every day we encounter a myriad of issues that can make leadership puzzling. One of these is the pace of change. The world is changing at a speed faster than humans have ever experienced before due largely to technological advances. This fact alone makes our leadership foothold paramount to balancing the needs of the people & enterprise we serve. Some of the same themes keep appearing. The human skills we often don’t realize we’re utilizing. Awareness is the key for those who’ve decided...
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New Connect Extension Podcast Episodes
The Extension Foundation has had the pleasure of hosting a number of outstanding individuals across Cooperative Extension for our Connect Extension podcast. The Connect Extension Podcast is available in most places podcasts are available. Here is a listing of some of our more recent episodes: Episode 16: Navigating the Grocey Store Aisle: Understanding Food Marketing Labels In this episode, we connect with Stacey Stearns from the University of Connecticut Extension on a project she is...
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What drives you?
Why do we do the things we do? If we're honest with ourselves, we know our actions are driven by two things: motivation & ability. Ability to do anything is influenced by external help and/or environmental structure. Motivation is connected to our internal belief system, our values. Intrinsic The things we value most in life are our internal motivators. They are our core values. The things we sacrifice for, stand up for and are prepared to die for if it came to that. They're super...
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Breakfast of Champions!
Was this your breakfast of champions? Perhaps it was oatmeal or granola... As you probably figured out, cereal isn't the point here. In the category of personal growth, we know the breakfast of champions is feedback ! In order to reach our full potential we need to grow. As we grow, we're likely to find ourselves in positions of increased responsibility. That includes leading others. We grow from primarily individual contributor into someone who gets work accomplished with others. This means...
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Procrastinate now...don't put it off!
Almost every organization would like to remove delays to unlocking their team's capacity to generate & implement great ideas. If you can identify & develop new opportunities quicker, your business model has a better chance to survive. No answers here just some thoughts on how these might be related. I'll procrastinate tomorrow... Graphic from www.jamesclear.com We've all received & given feedback on this topic. For the proactive person, someone who lags a bit can be maddening.
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Our Neighbor...
Our neighbor goes for a walk every morning. He waves enthusiastically to everyone he sees. His smile goes from ear to ear. He carries a big bag of treats for all the dogs he meets. He doesn't even own a dog. Our neighbor knows attitude is everything. He always picks a good one. Our neighbor goes to the local grocery store every Saturday morning. He knows all the bakery employees. He buys donuts for all the kids who are shopping with their parents. Every one...without exception. Our neighbor...
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Resilience in action...
Resilience is defined as: " the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. " Our resilience has been challenged big time over the course of this pandemic. How have you done? What have you done that worked? Honestly, it's been hard at times for our family. It's in what we did to get through together that matters. Chances are some of these are on your list! They celebrate other people's success They accept full responsibility for their past behavior They invest their energy in...
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Re: Resilience in action...
Thanks for these tips! We're working on a grant proposal to work with Coop Extension professionals to train in the use of improvisation tools and techniques ("yes...and", focussed listening, "accepting the offer") for communication. These improv skills offer a way to increase confidence and comfort when having to enter "difficult" stress and mental health conversations with farmers and clients. Your list for "resilience" is right in line with what we are focussed on...
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Using Good Judgement
An iceberg is a great analogy for many individual, team & organization efforts. Perhaps the most familiar model is from Ed Schein in which he uses the visible & invisible to illustrate how a company makes decisions. How it takes action. Above the water (visible) of the iceberg indicates strategic intent. Below the water (invisible) of the iceberg indicates core principles & values. Below the water! Hard Work Failure Doubts Set-Backs Persistence Long Days Sacrifice Courage Action...
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Re: CRISES OF LEGITIMACY OF SCIENCE-WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Excellent blog post (although I am not sure that using French helps with the perceived arrogance of science and the academy😊). Anyway, here’s an editorial that was in the local Madison newspaper a couple of weeks ago that speaks to the challenge of communicating science (around COVID 19) that lays out some self-ownership that the science community needs in connecting with the public. Paul Fanlund | The Capital Times Even before vaccines became widely available, one could have predicted that...
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It's situational and it's not...
My brother & I talk a lot and it has brought us closer, especially during our "philosophical" discussions. We like to dive deep into our passion areas, share what we've learned from books, articles, Ted Talks, work situations, parenting, etc. We just go with whatever is on our minds in a healthy banter. One thing keeps coming up regardless of topic is leadership & its close relationship with character . We agree on one point...leadership is situational but character isn't. Character...
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Collaboration & Competition
I’m just Karl... I'm from Branson, Missouri... I’m human... I’m going to make mistakes. Every decision I make will be what’s best for the team. It may not be what’s best for me (or you) but if it’s good for the team then it’s the best choice. At work, at home & in our communities we find ourselves on a "team" of some sort. The experience we have comes in how we approach them. Competition It's a myth that you have to work hard to beat the competition. Competition is the opposite of...
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A Conversation with Dr. Scott Reed, Extension Foundation Catalyst
Scott Reed is an emeritus of Oregon State University (OSU), where he served in various College of Forestry roles. He was a professor, executive associate dean, Extension program leader, and Dean and Director of OSU’s Extension Service. Scott served as the OSU’s Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement. He pioneered the innovative Open Campus, linking educational resources to advance college and career readiness, degree completion, and community development. Scott holds BS and MS...
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Need more empathy?
Psychology Today says Empathy is... "...the ability to recognize, understand, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person, animal, or fictional character. Developing empathy is crucial for establishing relationships and behaving compassionately. It involves experiencing another person’s point of view, rather than just one’s own, and enables prosocial or helping behaviors that come from within, rather than being forced." We all connect with the concept of empathy in a different way.
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Non-Versation
Had a few ineffective meetings in preparation for this post as I'm sure you have as well. One of the most memorable was one that lasted over an hour and at best, left most of us confused. We branded it the "lipstick on a pig" meeting. Instead of galvanizing our team efforts it eroded faith in our leadership. It was a huge missed opportunity which we rarely had. There were many other ineffective words/phrases used as well. Every word spoken might as well have been in a different language.
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Eliminate to Concentrate
The secret to concentration is elimination. You can't move forward on the monkey bars without letting go of one hand. It’s in the letting go of something we aren’t uniquely gifted to do that we create opportunity. Opportunity for others to grow in their strength area. Opportunity to focus. Opportunity to step into efficiency. This is the only way we can get to effectiveness. In the letting go we are more prepared to receive. To receive an opportunity from a teammate. In his book ”Good to...
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Extension Foundation 2021 Mid-Year Update
We are excited to provide you with a mid-year update about the Extension Foundation and our progress towards helping Cooperative Extension (CES) make a greater impact on local issues. Funding to the Cooperative Extension System (2020-2021) $22.4M in 2020-2021 85% to LGU’s Total of $19M to LGU’s across Extension program areas Funding Sources (2020-2021): $2M EPA Pesticide Safety Education Funds Management Program (PSEFMP) 85% to LGUs $4.9M USDA-NIFA New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE)...
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3 Naturally Occuring Things
"Three things happen naturally in organizations; friction, confusion & underperformance. Everything else requires leadership." -Peter Drucker Friction happens when people don’t understand one another Interpersonal issues are present Confusion happens as a result of poor communication Team goals are unclear Underperformance happens when people aren’t engaged Skill-set mismatch The thing to keep in mind here is that these things “happen naturally”. It’s nobody’s fault. Take a deep breath!
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Leadership Language
The words we choose matter. They matter a lot. What if there were things to help people remember our message? Good news! There are! Here are some rhetorical devices taken straight from a TEDx Verona talk by Simon Lancaster to help you speak like a leader! The Language of Leadership Asyndeton/Tricolon Look left, look right, look center, stop, listen... This mimics hyperventilating. President Obama used it…”a world at war, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a generation.” Three...
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Navigating the Grocery Store Aisle: Use Our Game In Your Extension Program
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food and stay within their budget. Food manufacturers and distributors cover their boxed, canned, and bottled foods with labels like “whole grain” and “low-calorie” to suggest that their food has certain health benefits. Among the most misunderstood food marketing labels are “non-GMO,” “natural,” and “organic." The UConn Extension New Technologies in Agricultural...
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Searching for L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P.
Have you ever Googled "leadership"? The other day I got 2.5 Billion search results in under half a second. That might indicate I've got to get a whole lot better at searching for content on the internet. It also means the real messages of leadership can get buried in all that great information. Here are a few qualities (as verbs) that might resonate with you. L – Listening E – Empathizing A – Acting with awareness D – Dedicating time for others E – Encouraging R – Removing doubts S – Serving...
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Reminders
You're smart. You don't need me going on about, well, anything really. Most of the time what we all need is just a reminder. Here goes... What we tolerate we condone. What is rewarded is repeated. Think about it...
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Bob wasn't my boss, but...
Received this in my email today from one of my mentors... Only knew Bob for a short few years, but the statements below are the way he lived his life. I am grateful he was able to influence me. He never lectured. He led by example. His example to be a better person. I miss him in my life. He was kind and generous. A man full of grace. "When you help others, your life starts to have meaning and purpose. Real joy comes not from material possessions but from people. When we give our hearts in...
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Authority & Responsibility
Authority If you're going to delegate something to others, delegate authority. Give them the authority to take full control of everything they're responsible for. Otherwise, why did you hire them? Responsibility Don't focus on what you think you deserve based on title, position or rank. Focus on the responsibility that comes with it. Focus on the responsibilities that should never be delegated to others. Delegating your work to someone else is managing. Delegating authority while keeping...
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3 Steps
On our journey through life sometimes we get stuck. We don't know what step to take next. It's in these moments of friction that growth happens. Here are 3 steps that can help us get unstuck & back on track to being the person we want to become! "Know thyself." -H.D. Thoreau Affirm (or discover) your personality traits or your core values. Self-awareness is a great trait to hone. Getting back in touch with ourselves, our DNA, can be just the reminder that we are enough and will always be...
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New for Extension Foundation Members: Video Resource Library in Connect Extension
The Extension Foundation has created a database available for Cooperative Extension professionals from Extension Foundation Member Institutions . This member resource was designed to provide Extension Professionals with concise and succinct tutorials, tips, and introductions on various subjects applicable to Cooperative Extension Professionals. It can be found on the main navigation of Connect Extension and is visible to Foundation members. To get your free Connect Extension account,...
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1890s Extension Leadership Academy Assistantship
The 1890 Extension Leadership Academy is seeking a current 1890 Region Cooperative Extension professional who desires program administration experience to assist the leadership academy staff. Our ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 years in their current role and experience working with diverse teams. The successful Assistant will demonstrate existing knowledge in organizing and managing virtual meetings, communication and program delivery. The primary goal of this assistantship is to...
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Storytelling
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." -Maya Angelou Did You Know: The U.S. is the only country that has dual identity in its mythological heroes. Superman & Clark Kent; Batman & Bruce Wayne; Wonder Woman & Diana Prince; Spiderman & Peter Parker... These powerful stories (and yours) turn "tacit" information into "explicit" information making it accessible for others. Stories pass down knowledge, inspire us to act & connect with the essence of...
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Top 10 Heavy Hitters
The entire culture of our organizations can be summed up in this statement; what is rewarded is repeated . For your consideration (during MLB playoff time!)...here's a list of some heavy hitters to encourage & support with your leadership behavior! 1. Earn people's trust ; provide evidence every day of how you are trustworthy 2. Understand everyone has a life; work & life aren't separate, work is a part of a meaningful life 3. Listen , then act; diverse viewpoints are healthier, more...
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ATTITUDE
Found this in some of my Dad's stuff he wanted me to have... The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts, it is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every...
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Re: Top 10 Heavy Hitters
Thanks Karl. I appreciate the importance of focusing our leadership outward - helping others - instead of only on what's best for the leader.
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MFLN Family Development Sexual Behavior in Children & Youth (SBCY) Series So Far
The MFLN Family Development Sexual Behavior in Children & Youth (SBCY) Series is still ongoing through 2021 and throughout 2022! As we continue our conversation on age-appropriate sexual development of youth and working with children and youth exhibiting problematic sexual behavior (PSB), our upcoming SBCY webinars will focus on lots of great topics. A list of all upcoming topics and webinars is available on the SBCY series homepage . Each of these informative and interactive webinars...
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Values & Chronic Pain
Studies by the CDC and others have found upwards of 50 Million Americans live with some type of chronic pain. Advances in treatments are happening. While these vary greatly in availability and cost, here's one helpful connection we can all do for free! Our core values help define the direction we want our lives to move towards. They drive our decisions and actions. We are never "finished" moving toward our values. Being a loving partner or a helpful colleague are both values because you have...
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Gone not Forgotten
We all have things in common, especially loss. Those who have gone before us have shown us the way. No one is truly gone who is not forgotten. Personally, Colin Powell helped me make sense of our nation's place in the world. Here's an excerpt from his book "It Worked for Me" In a lifetime of studying leadership, this is still one of my absolute favorite pieces on the topic: The Essence of Leadership Cooperative Extension professionals are drawn to the work to serve. They selflessly serve...
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Re: Gone not Forgotten
Thank you for honoring Colin Powell in this manner. I always found him to be wise. Seeing his comments about the essence of leadership is a reminder that the foundation of all relationships is trust--to be earned and maintained. And yes, as a basis for leadership and followership--even if only for curiosity's sake.
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You do what?
Whether you're in a "leadership" position or are leading from another spot in the organization, everyone has responsibilities. Responsibilities to understand the requirements of leading that help everyone with expectation setting. If part of your duties include caring for others, the following likely show up in your everyday collaborations! THE "WHAT" Primary Leadership Tasks Vision – Set the general tone, direction Management – Set goals and focus resources Empowerment – Select and develop...
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Thoughts from a former NFL coach
During my short college coaching time, had the pleasure of attending a clinic where some successful coaches shared their X’s & O’s & overall philosophies. Knowing why, how & what gets these guys out of bed in the morning is powerful knowledge. One of the speakers was Marty Schottenheimer; his passion for coaching resonated with all of us. An awesome opportunity to hear from a great NFL coach & man. Here are some of his thoughts... He is perhaps most famous for his pre-game...
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LEADERSHIP-IT'S ALL ABOUT EVERYONE
Scott Reed, Vice Provost Emeritus, Outreach and Engagement, Oregon State University Lou Swanson, Emeritus Vice President of Engagement, Colorado State University Image by Vadym Pustukh via Unsplash Essayist William Gibson recently reminded us, “ The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet .” The same sentiment is reflected by the Institute for the Future in discussions of leadership in a world characterized by explosive connectivity and disruption and describes literacies for...
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Risky?
Starting any new venture can be scary. Deciding to tap into our creative entrepreneurial spirit can take a lot of courage, patience & a bit of ignoring our insecurities. "Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is!" -Mark Twain Recently heard Tim Ferriss Podcast interview with Sir Richard Branson. One of the stories Branson told was of how he got into the airline business. He was trying to get home after a 3-week business trip when his flight was cancelled. He really wanted to...
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Digital Gratitude
We've talked about this "gratitude" thing before in this post... Get More Gratitude . This year, instead of awkward silence, when it comes around to you to say what you're thankful for you'll be ready! If you're like us and are feeling bad about not being able to be together with everyone you'd like, here are some ways to let you friends & family know you're thinking about them. Embrace some technology to share your gratitude for the special people in your life. Share a memory from your...
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Re: Bob wasn't my boss, but...
This is so true. I learned this from my mother who spent lots of time volunteering at a women's homeless shelter and got me involved in empowering these women. They just need someone to look at them help them see their potential.