On Becoming a Passion-Driven Leader

I believe passion to be the single most important asset we have as individuals, SMB’s and corporate leaders. Passion differentiates us consistently over time, and it needs to be nurtured, evolved, and invigorated by the people entrusted to keep it true and alive. Two years ago I was given the distinguished honor of giving the keynote address in a conference full of Middle and High School Principals. What a pleasure it was to be in the presence of such passionate and dedicated leaders. There I debuted a framework for leadership and systems improvement I had been working on, and am still using to this day. Here’s a peek…… Read More»

Recognition Worth Noticing

As a writer, educator, and lover of learning and life, I make it a habit to notice people. Whether I am in the classroom or in a business, I notice everyone I meet, and I let him or her know it…. Read More»

Embrace The Amateur Within

Am I an amateur? I try my best to be one.

To many, amateur is a dirty word today.

In a much-discussed 2007 column in The Weekly Standard, and a subsequent book, Andrew Keen argued “Web 2.0 technologies…enable amateurs to make dumbed-down replicas of professional work,” and crowd out professional creative types. This fear goes well beyond the creative world. Journalism, finance, medicine and law are among the many professions whose members have been, to some extent, crowded out by tools and enhanced access to content that enable amateurs to demand less of their services…. Read More»

Bold Leadership from Young Leaders

Two months ago, Steve Snell, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum for the school district in Hutto, Texas, wrote for advice about technology in school. I explained that for students to use technology to its full potential, they must feel a compelling need to research, evaluate, use and share with the world. In other words, they must […] Read more… Read More»

How Big is Your Brave?

There is no doubt bravery is needed to lead and succeed. Since the beginning of time, bravery has been a crucible of leadership and an essential trait in battle of any kind. Let’s explore bravery through these three genius questions: What does BRAVE look like? How does BRAVE act and behave? Most importantly, how big […] Read more… Read More»

Making Serendipity Tactical: Is Randomness Part of Your Leadership Strategy?

Have you ever met a person, come across an idea, or found a resource that was precisely what you needed at exactly that moment in time? These “happy accidents” bring us surprise and joy. But more than that, they are essential to moving us forward as leaders and learners. Serendipity powers the social web. Tools […] Read more… Read More»

The Reason We Write

Since the dawn of the Internet, I have been keenly aware that writing well in the digital age requires us to evolve from the skills we first learned with a pen and paper. The freedom to share our ideas with the world, to write what we think and believe is not one to take lightly. Indeed, […] Read more… Read More»

Reflection: An Essential Leadership Practice

“One of the greatest moments in anybody’s developing experience is when he no longer tries to hide from himself but determines to get acquainted with himself as he really is.” – Norman Vincent Peale Robust reflection is a prerequisite to personal and professional development. To produce meaningful reflection, it takes sufficient time and conscious effort. From a […] Read more… Read More»

Do You Give Yourself Permission to Play?

Play is usually discussed as though it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. It’s a way to cope with life and to prepare for adulthood. Playing is a way to solve problems and to express feelings. In fact, play is not only the real work of childhood; it should also […] Read more… Read More»

Whose Hope Were You Today?

A frequent theme in my work is that young people are geniuses from which we have much to learn. I spent the first 14 years of my career in the classroom with kids from Kindergarten to second grade. I cherished this time in my life; students this age are brave and bold, comfortable with their […] Read more… Read More»