I scratch my head when I hear people brag about how much they “empower their people” because with one or two questions it becomes fully apparent that they have their definitions mes
Several years ago NPR published a great article about the impact of something that I think we all would agree is a problem, and not just in the military. Aside from the horrifying findings of the rese
We all talk about our “gut” and what it tells us or we talk about “intuitively knowing” something and deciding based on “that”. I often wonder how many of us really understand wh
Change is inevitable in the workplace if a company aspires to be successful. Understanding impact on employees and how to lead them through it is key to success. Both external and internal forces, (
The difficulty experienced in helping leaders understand what it means to lead during the easy days is only magnified during times such as the ones we are living in now. The most challenging of the di
“I was perfectly clear with my directions, what is it about clarity do you not understand?” While not all of us have heard those words or said those words, I am quite confident that others
In a recent conversation with a good friend and collaborator in life, a thought struck me that won’t seem to leave the confines of my head (as if there was not already enough junk up there).
We all have deserts to travel, the question I keep asking myself is, “am I in one now?” As I read the Bible I see many men who wandered through their deserts, some were literal others were
Growing up I has some amazing teachers that helped me pass all the tests that a high school graduate is/was supposed to pass. These folks cared greatly about my learning and it showed in their
I recently began asking my clients a question in my initial conversations and have learned to garner a lot about them from their answers. Additionally I have discovered a common area of development th
A repost from 2014 Most people know that when the seas are smooth almost anyone can be a sailor. That said, it is when the waves start to crash around and on us that we find out if we have been in t
There is abundant truth in the statement “what comes easy may not be right.” It is that very thing that creates a seduction so significant that it derails many aspiring leaders as well a
Ever heard the cowboy euphemism“all hat and no cattle,” well that’s akin to thinking that someone that has leadership “skills”, can automatically lead. There is definitely such thing
Was perusing some old posts and came across this one. Thought it was worthy of a repost! Wow, another year has come and gone. As I was thinking about the speed at which this year has
It’s paradoxical that quite often the things we do to try and make our organizations move faster and be more efficient end up slowing us down. How many times have you been befuddled by
When the boss tells you “this is how I think we should go,” resistance like “no, I think that’s the wrong way” is the last thing that that most bosses expect. Most form
Most people know that when the seas are smooth almost anyone can be a sailor. That said, it is when the waves start to crash around and on us (crisis) that we find out if we have been in the hands o
Success is a horrible teacher! Over the past month or two I’ve found myself repeating that line time and again. Why? Because it’s true, success is not always a good thing for some peopl
It is amazing to me how often I hear from employees that they don’t trust their leader’s agenda or motive while simultaneously hearing from the leader that they don’t have themselves don’t
Everyone has their stories of a bad manager or poor leadership, some of you are living those stories now. Although not all bosses are bad, it seems that a lot of my friends, clients, and strangers th
I sit here a day after Christmas pondering the next 364 days until jolly old Santa makes his next appearance. Rather than tying myself up in the normal commercialized frenzy of the season, I decided
How many people do you know that live a life of defense? You know, the ones driven by fear of making mistakes. Better question, is that how you live? Whether that description fits you or not, thin
We’ve all been there, or maybe still are – another meeting to keep you from doing what it is you really need to be doing. So what can you do about it? Meetings are a fact of life, especial
I am sitting on a plane headed back to Texas and all I can think about is how incredibly hard we sometimes make things for ourselves in terms of executing for results. After leaving a client’s off
I read a Fortune article today titled: Fantasy football could cost businesses $13.4 billion a season– the article cited a study that 18 million fantasy football players spend two hours per workweek
Life is full of opportunities to learn lessons about leadership, one only has to stop long enough to reflect and seek them out. Periodically I actually practice what I preach and did just that. While
I think many times executives confuse the definition of “control.” When we do 360 interviews we are often told that an executive is a “control freak” or “too controlling,” but when we prov
So much of leadership development these days focuses on what the leader does for other people. One big thing missing, in my opinion, is what the leader needs to do for him or herself first. Put