Michael Toebe Blog

Confidence is vital to success, as long as it’s balanced with a high level of sincere humility, character and competence. Overconfidence, however, is transparent to other people and results in a negative perception and judgment about us, our name and reputation. · So why do we no ...

“Some people lean in when their friends take heat, some people lean away. · “I decided I wanted to be a lean-in type, even if I didn’t always agree, even if it was their fault.” · Ryan Holiday · There is so much being communicated here and it’s important to recognize what is and ...

Self-policing might work for ethical people and organizations yet how trustworthy and reliable is it when healthy character and ethics are missing? · The following question within a headline caught my attention: Should the military continue to be allowed to police itself on sexua ...

"What do you do when someone gives you critical feedback? · "It feels like someone is telling you: You’re wrong. · "How do you react?" · Who hasn't experienced that powerful, stressful, maybe negative human interaction. It doesn't feel good. It can hurt or disable. It might anger ...

Do you have the humility, courage and strength to confess significant errors to those who count on you? Not all leaders will own their errors and communicate it humbly to other people. · Warren Buffett has done so here (Warren Buffett's $10 Billion Mistake): · “I was wrong...in ...

Disputes and conflict do not always bring out our best selves. We tend to want to avoid both or fight for what’s important to us. Rare is it that we think “the way” through the negativity or drama is to build bridges. · Yet that is one of the ultimate “people skills” and no hyper ...

Sometimes the obvious is not something we easily learn and remember. · I was watching a movie last night where the lead character spoke about how we might only be known by our reputation. · Why is this important? · Whether as individuals or organizations, there are people with wh ...

It’s surprising to some people and organizations as well to learn that arrogance is destructive to reputation. What is it that we should know yet might not fully comprehend? · Carrying oneself with arrogance is believing, consciously or subconsciously, that its practice is someho ...

It feels good to be confident, to believe and know you’re accurate in your assessments, to feel “I’m right.” It’s worthwhile to remember when you think of critics and especially when those same critics are acting as enemies. · Humans crave the psychological reward of confidence s ...

Matt Lauer (photo) badly damaged his name, reputation and career due to his belief system and inappropriate behavior with women. He’s been paying a price for it that has reportedly caused him significant distress. However, is Lauer doing what is culturally expected to regenerate ...

How do you repair your reputation with a client if you’ve made a significant error? · Paul · Hi Paul, · That you’re asking shows a lot about the quality of your character. · What your client likely desires is that you take prompt and full ownership of the significant error, offer ...

It’s not comfortable and agreeable to the ego to go out of one’s way to find someone to say ‘no’ to them. That answer seems to come often enough to us without trying. To want to hear it more might seem a little twisted. · Yet it’s really a sign of strength. It takes poise, humili ...

Rock bottom. No one wants to be there yet people end up in the pit anyway. Sometimes, that’s been, is or will be us. Some people have an extended stay. Others depart to rebuild lives, name and reputation. Yet that doesn’t happen until the mind and behavior stops doing at least on ...

Carrying a bad attitude around with oneself through life makes for difficult experiences. When that is coupled with not being conscious of how we’re acting and perceived negatively affects interactions and outcomes. · Developing a chronic negative viewpoint might seem like a posi ...

Humanity and relationship-focused behavior in business and the workplace can pay dividends, from higher quality interactions, less distrust, more trust, healthy reputation and stronger collaboration, yet it’s not yet widely valued. · Strength in understanding other people’s emoti ...

Authority without self control, while alluring to our base instincts, is incredibly dangerous. · When oversight and safeguards are absent, individuals with self-control shortcomings or glaring weaknesses are not going to make smart choices, protect people, an organization or even ...

ABC has placed itself in a perilous place. Its credibility and reputation, assets critical in the media industry, could end up absorbing heavy media and reputation backlash at the conclusion of a $10 million lawsuit filed by a former employee that attorneys claim has been made a ...

Two reports and entirely different conclusions about Johnny Depp’s future, in response to his crisis of reputation. One is of doom and the other of cynicism that could be interpreted as blue sky optimism. This says something, but what? · Neither Depp’s personal character or reput ...

McDonald’s clearly doesn’t see it yet but in its zeal to defend itself in different lawsuits filed by Black franchisees about alleged discriminatory and exploitive practices, it is talking down to and possibly gaslighting minority owners. · This reactive strategy will only serve ...

Anna Wintour says she owns her errors of racial insensitivity, missing compassion and ivory tower leadership, expressing she will do the work to learn, make corrections and improve. Yet her words are not resonating with employees or observers who have suffered similar treatment. ...