It has become the most overused leadership cliché of the past decade or so. Mind you, I am in favor of not being inauthentic. But you and I can authentically be many things. Which authentic self will you bring?… Read More»
My first memory of being in the presence of someone with presence.
I am 21 years old and hanging out in Rome. Like many first-time visitors to this intoxicating city, I am entranced by its history. It seems to seep out of the pores of every building I pass. The moment I am about to describe is like a cliché from a Fellini movie – except that it really happened. As I am strolling up the Via Veneto, Ursula Andress, the original and archetypal James Bond girl, is descending toward me…. Read More»
I used to work for a guy named Larry. When Larry went on a business trip or took a vacation, we missed him. We were happy when Larry came back. I want to be the guy they miss. I want to be the guy they are happy to see back.
That’s a fine personal benchmark. I don’t know Larry, but I am pretty darn sure that this benchmark has little to do with Larry’s skill or competence. This benchmark is about Larry’s personal energy.
Are you the Gilda or Frank or Larry they miss?
Consider these simple guidelines for fueling your miss-me personal energy…… Read More»
I spent 9 days in Cuba last month.
Many stories to tell.
Yes, I engaged in some of the expected activities. Strolled through Havana Vieja, retracing Ernest Hemingway’s steps. Listened to infectious live music every day. Indulged in a slew of sumptuous meals prepared in the home-grown paladares, beacons of a nascent Cuban entrepreneurialism.
But the unexpected stirred me most…. Read More»
I believe in mindfulness. Mindfulness practices have been around since the dawn of time. I am interested in an energized workplace. I also believe in keeping things simple. So, let us focus on mindfulness at work. And let’s render the mystical simple and practical…. Read More»
There’s connection. And then there’s CONNECTION. Deep, stirring, spine-tingling connection. When I listen to you speak, and I feel so profoundly invigorated by your personal energy. When I am suddenly eager to move mountains to support your ideals. When I don’t want the encounter with you to end. That’s CONNECTION. No, this is not an essay on love. […] Read more… Read More»
The great actress Cicely Tyson won a Tony Award this year for her performance in the Broadway revival of the play “The Trip to Bountiful.” Tyson is 87 years old. I need you to not retire until I get to work with you, fellow actress Kerry Washington pleads with Tyson in a conversation recorded in […] Read more… Read More»
A note from ExchangeGain’s editor: Leadership lessons are often folded into life’s events. It’s simply a matter of stopping long enough to observe what is offered to us no matter the event. Achim reminds us all of this simple truth using the violence at a school in Decatur, Georgia. I never watch Anderson […] Read more… Read More»
My European colleagues think we’re a little nuts. You Americans are obsessed with psychological profiling. You put your leaders through psychological assessment after assessment. And with every new self-assessment you stick them into another little psychological box. Yes. I know what they mean. We do it in the spirit of hiring for competencies (translate: a […] Read more… Read More»
I didn’t start out in corporate life. By the time I got my first gig as a corporate trainer for a large train-the-trainer firm, I had worked as a theatre director/performer/acting coach/mediation trainer/ university professor/diversity specialist/community storyteller/AIDS activist/Middle East peace dialoguer. And I had spent a year on a remote Caribbean island, becoming a windsurfer […] Read more… Read More»
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