How to Plan: The Six-T Method
Got a good idea you want to make a reality? Have a team you want to organize to get something done? Great! Sometimes coming up with a good idea is the hardest part. But now it’s time to turn that concept into a reality, and the bridge between the two is a plan. Every year […]
Book Notes: Leaders Eat Last
The book title caught my eye because it’s something the Army has been doing for a long time. One evening, while observing Marines eating dinner in the field, author Simon Sinek noticed that as a matter of routine, the most junior Marines ate first. The highest ranking ones, the leaders, ate last. Through this simple […]
Death By PowerPoint: The Machine Gun Slide
Death by PowerPoint can take many forms. The smart people at Microsoft have done a great job of adding infinite ways to make things on your slides bounce, jiggle, fly, sparkle, and make an astonishing variety of noises. You can even customize! But in the hands of an irresponsible presenter, there is the potential to […]
Death By PowerPoint: The Shotgun Slide
I’ve survived many life threatening encounters with PowerPoint. In the early days you might have even charged me for irresponsible use of this powerful but dangerous tool. I apologize now for any damage I may have caused. To atone for my sins, I hope to pass on helpful tips to you for your next presentation. […]
12 Pretty Good Hooks for Your Next Presentation
“The next three minutes will determine whether you succeed or fail on your next presentation.” Every presentation has three main parts – the beginning, the middle, and the end. And among these, the beginning is easily the most important. You have about 30 seconds to get the audience interested in what you have to say. […]
Book Notes: The One Minute Manager
I first picked up the original edition of this little book in December of 1985 and loved it immediately. Don’t be deceived by its small size, it’s packed with very practical leadership tools that you can put to use immediately.
Book Notes: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This is an all-time favorite of mine, and another one I find myself returning to reference time and time again. Author Stephen R. Covey’s work outlines seven key habits that make people masters of themselves. Taking the approach that our character is essentially the result of the many habits we fall into every day, Dr. […]
Book Notes: The Killer Angels
The first and best historical fiction book I have ever read, and an excellent look into the challenges of leadership, The Killer Angels reads like a novel. But author Michael Shaara combines historical accuracy with a captivating story-telling ability to make this a hard-to-put-down read about the battle of Gettysburg, and for me, a great […]
Book Notes: The Journals of Lewis and Clark
It’s 1803, and President Thomas Jefferson has just completed the Louisiana Purchase. Now he needs to learn about this new land and open up trade routes to the west. The story of how Meriwether Lewis and William Clark crossed the continent is generally well known, but what many forget is that they didn’t do it […]
Book Notes: South – The Endurance Expedition
In 1914, 28 men sail from England to attempt what no one has ever done: traverse the Antarctic continent from one side to the other. But soon, disaster strikes. Their ship, the aptly named Endurance, is trapped in the ice, then crushed, leaving the explorers stranded on the polar ice cap with no way home. What […]
What is Referent Power and How do I Get Some?
How can referent power make me a better leader? Did you know that Nike pays Michael Jordan $50-60 million a year to sell shoes? Wanna know why? Two words: Referent Power. Take a likeable, successful person, have them endorse a product, and suddenly sales go up. Why? Because people identify with that person, maybe want […]
Coercive Power: Is the Benefit Worth the Cost?
Ever known someone pulled over for speeding? Chances are they knew what the speed limit was, but thought they wouldn’t be caught. The benefit of having traffic laws is to promote safety on the highways. But there is a cost to enforcing the laws, just as there is always a cost when using any force. […]
