ALL POSTS

Leadership Mistakes

In a recent online poll, about 1,000 U.S. workers were asked what their biggest complaints were about their leaders.  Today we’ll talk about the top nine of these complaints, how they are connected, and what you can do to avoid

Respond to Crisis

As a leader you will have to respond to crisis.  The plan will get off track, a key person will not show up, the weather will change, key assumptions will be proven wrong.  It’s inevitable.  How you respond will determine whether

Delegate on the Fly

To get the job done as a leader, you have to delegate.  There’s no other way around it.  Often, we are in a big hurry too.  But if you are moving too fast, you are liable to forget something important. 

The Slow Fix - Carl Honore

In the 2011 Grand Prix Formula One race in Monaco, Lewis Hamilton’s car collided with another racer.  There was damage to the rear wing end plate of his car.  Under any other circumstances, his racing day would have been over. 

Abilene Paradox

Not sure where your team is heading?  Wonder what will be waiting for you when you get there?  Sounds like you might just be on the Bus to Abilene.  Here’s how to recognize if you’re on that Bus and how

Charisma

Not everyone has the charismatic superhero personality that captivates a room, and attracts followers like metal filings to a magnet.  For the many of us who may be a little short on vitamin C (charisma), are we doomed to permanent

After Action Review

After every major event, good organizations and teams take a moment and very deliberately review what happened in an After Action Review.  In this way, they can keep getting better.  It’s a great process, but there’s an elephant in the

Finisher

Why is it not enough to be a self-starter? Getting started on something is great.  There are lots of great inspirational quotes you can read about starting:

Recon

Today we’re going the extra mile.  Quite literally.  Next weekend our Scout troop is going winter camping in the hills of Pennsylvania.  I think we have a pretty good plan for the trip, but I always like to confirm my

humble leader paradox

How does a humble leader lead without becoming a door mat? I believe the Servant-Leader mindset is the best sustainable approach to leadership.  But if you are not careful, it is easy to fall into the idea that to lead,

Train the new guy

Being the leader is a challenge, but it can be even more challenging when you have new people join the team who don’t yet know how to contribute.  In the next two minutes I’m going to show you a way

Good to Great - Jim Collins

There is a good reason that Jim Collins’ book Good to Great is a #1 best seller with over 3 million copies sold.  It is jam-packed with revealing detail and captivating examples of what it took for some companies to rise

Vision Statement

A vision statement is supposed to be like the North Star, serving as a light that guides your organization into the future.  Today we’re going to talk about how you can put together a great vision statement that unifies and

Drive - Daniel Pink

Give people more money and they will perform better right? Actually, no. Daniel Pink’s book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, throws cold water in the face of standard management thinking. In fact, he lists seven reasons why the reward/punishment

Constructive Feedback

You know, one of the first counseling sessions I received as a leader was also one of the toughest.  I learned that I was falling short of my commander’s expectations in several ways, and it was hurting the team.  When

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