All major decisions come with consequently major consequences that must be identified and reconciled. As a leader, you have the responsibility for managing risk and determining which consequences are worth overcoming in order to reap the rewards of your decisions. Risk management, therefore, becomes a cornerstone of great leadership, in business as in war and politics…. Read More»
The importance of measuring the climate you create cannot be understated. I submit that you, as the leader, have the responsibility to take your organization’s temperature on a regular basis so that you can validate whether or not it meets with your intentional objectives, or if a course correction is required. Without regular and consistent updates, you may never truly understand the environment you are creating for your team…. Read More»
If you are an insulated leader, you are missing the big picture. As a result, you are making decisions based upon poor—sometimes misleading—information. In today’s climate, you cannot afford to misinterpret the variables that make up your opportunity for a winning equation. As such, you need to remain aware of the insulation effect, or R-value, of your team by watching for these clues:… Read More»
And so it goes with organizations striving to progress from the “As Is” to the “To Be”. Struggling to align the goal with the motivation, the vision to the reality. Herein lies the true value of communication, ensuring each teammate shares the experience of knowing where they are going. In Leadership from A to Z, James O’Toole shared that you, as the leader, must “…communicate clearly and repeatedly the organization’s vision…all with the intent of helping every person involved understand what work needs to be done and why, and what part the individual plays in the overall effort.” As the leader, you hold the cue-card and are artist-in-charge of painting a vivid picture that both inspires and clarifies the destination. Here are some simple tips to ensure you keep the destination in clear view:… Read More»
Napoleon Boneparte (1769-1821) is best remembered for what he represented to those who wrote about him. Truly, he was a conundrum for scholars and historians alike. Germain de Staёl, a principal opponent and prolific writer of her time, commented that he was “neither good nor violent, neither gentle nor cruel. ” Having joined the artillery […] Read more… Read More»
The turkeys gathered by the light of the moon to conspire against the farmer, who was preparing to satisfy the needs of holiday dinner-parties throughout the town. They spent the evening drawing up battle plans, sharpening beaks and claws, and discussing the benefit of rotten eggs launched from catapults as distracting fire. As the dawn […] Read more… Read More»
Seeds are curious things—small, innocuous . . . overlooked. Incredibly, they are filled with an amazing power for growth. A growth for greatness. So, too, is your capability for seeding leadership potential! I learned from a close-friend that a single shaft of wheat, left undamaged and allowed to grow unchecked, could spontaneously multiply into a […] Read more… Read More»
→