The Paradox of Leadership Give and Take Western leaders have been conditioned for generations to believe that the way to advance is to claim as much as possible, to take more than you give. Many leaders make personal gain the objective of business life, and almost any means to achieve it is fair game. Hard work, perseverance, passion, and talent … Read More
Brain-Friendly Steps to Make Change Stick
Brain-Friendly Steps to Make Change Stick When’s the last time you promised yourself to make some changes, either break or make a new habit? And how long did your changes last? Changing habits can be one of the hardest things to do. Once we decide to lose weight, quit smoking, get fit, or do anything differently, it takes a lot … Read More
How to Be a Better Team Member
How to Be a Better Team Member Most everyone is part of a team. And most of us try to be fair, accepting, helpful, and supportive of our teammates. And yet we frequently encounter problems interacting with others, in spite of shared values and common goals. Why is that? “We have a strong and natural tendency to look out for … Read More
Is Truth Dead?
Is Truth Dead? In a world where leaders spin reality and use alternative facts to make things seem better than they are, is dishonesty becoming the new norm? Or, as a Time Magazine cover asks, “Is Truth Dead?” “Morality, like art, means drawing a line somewhere.” ~ Oscar Wilde When leaders play loose with truth, they make it more comfortable … Read More
Leadership Challenges: Fear of Failure
Leadership Challenges: Fear of Failure Of all the challenges leaders face, none is more pervasive yet hidden than fear of failure. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy Leadership is a tough job that requires courage. Doubts, insecurities and fears make organizational challenges more difficult and, in extreme cases, insurmountable. No matter … Read More
The Changing Face of Employee Engagement: 7 Trends
The Changing Face of Employee Engagement: 7 Trends With so many organizations focusing on engaging their employees, why aren’t engagement levels across the world increasing? According to Gallup’s January 2016 article, The Worldwide Employee Engagement Crisis, with low engagement in the workforce, there are serious and potentially lasting repercussions for the global economy. According to Gallup’s latest poll, employee engagement … Read More
Three Ways to Be a Better Team Member
Three Ways to Be a Better Team Member It may seem unlikely that there could be anything new to learn about what makes teams effective, but there is. More than ever before, work today gets done in teams, and your ability to contribute as a member is vital to your career success. Every team is a unique social unit. The … Read More
How Great Leaders Ignite Passion and Performance
How Great Leaders Ignite Passion and Performance Look at today’s top-performing companies, and you’ll inevitably find a high degree of employee engagement. From frontline workers to CEOs, people are passionate about their companies’ purpose, values, and mission. Most workers are motivated to give their best and often go beyond what’s required. Some are lucky enough to work for companies that … Read More
The Inner Game of Leadership
The Inner Game of Leadership Effective leaders master the C-suite competencies: setting strategic direction; communicating an inspiring mission; understanding financial data; planning and coordinating resources; and ensuring that processes, systems and people achieve results. Most leadership-development efforts focus on these responsibilities, but they’re ultimately insufficient. Great leaders must address the inner game of leadership. The inner game consists of character … Read More
Four Decisions: People, Strategy, Execution, Cash
Four Decisions: People, Strategy, Execution, Cash By Verne Harnish Decisions Equal Success Decisions equal success – and there are four decisions, in growing your business, that you must get right or risk leaving significant revenues, profits, and time on the table. These four decisions are in the areas of People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. Even though most growth firms face … Read More