trust
An anecdote for COVID-19
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our lives. We went from a booming economy to great uncertainty almost overnight. We have seen illness, death, job loss, social unrest, increased anxiety, and a loss of normalcy in our lives. We are grieving over many things, including the sense of security many thought we possessed. But the truth…
Read MoreShould I Stay or Should I Go?
It’s often said that people don’t quit their jobs, they quit their bosses. In many cases, employee turnover is a function of poor leadership rather than the result of a mismatch between the employee and the company. Consciously or unconsciously, people ask three questions about a leader when determining how far and for how long…
Read MoreChoosing the Right Travel Companions
When flying coach class, it’s no fun being stuck for several hours behind a passenger carrying a yelping puppy or beside a family with crying, colicky twin babies. Nor do you want to end up next to someone who frequently heaves into the airsickness bag or who smells like they haven’t showered in several weeks.…
Read MoreDon’t Let Broken Trust Rust Out Your Relationships
When you’ve broken a teammate’s trust, don’t let the relationship rust; take action immediately to repair and restore it. As a leader, you’re out in front casting vision and giving direction. You’re vocal and highly visible; your words and deeds affect a lot of people. Eventually, you’re going to say or do something that violates…
Read MoreEntering the Construction Zone
Trust is the foundation of any relationship. Developing trust is like constructing a house. It takes time, and it must be done piece by piece. As with a building, it’s much easier to tear down trust than it is to build it up. We take for granted that the buildings we enter—homes, offices, restaurants, and…
Read MoreHard-Fought Optimism
You may shoot me with your words,You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. ~ Maya Angelou from Still I Rise As a child, Maya Angelou was the victim of a brutal assault. After she testified against her abuser, an angry mob hunted…
Read MoreStress: The Pathway to Growth, Renewal, and Success
To live stress-free would be to deny our responsibility as leaders. Stress accompanies growth. We have to accept that all worthwhile change, every amazing transformation and renewal, brings about temporary stress. For example, think about an expectant mother. Her pregnancy begins with morning sickness, and queasiness lingers throughout the first trimester. Her nose becomes keenly…
Read MoreThe Lawyer Who Didn’t Lie
A busload of lawyers careened off a mountain road and tumbled over a cliff. The bus was destroyed and there were no survivors. Tragically, the bus was only half full. Though there are a number of wonderful attorneys, as the joke above indicates, members of the legal profession are often subjected to a negative stereotype.…
Read MoreSeeing Opportunities and Making Them Stick
A man and his dog returned home from a walk through the woods covered in cockleburs. The tiny burs had clung to the man’s pants and the dog’s fur, and it took a long while to disentangle them all. The man, Swiss engineer George de Mestral, was impressed by how easily the burs had latched…
Read MoreWhat Wisdom? What Wisdom!
Last month we focused on Gifts of Wisdom. I wanted to blog about one of the wisest things John Maxwell has taught me. “Invest in yourself more than others.” Two things I have learned from John’s insight. First, is one of capacity. Spend more time, energy and resources developing yourself. If you want to have…
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