Posts Tagged ‘personal growth’
Lessons from the Life of a Trustworthy Coach
On June 4th, the nation mourned the death of legendary UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden, a man revered as much for his off-court character as his on-court genius. On the court, Wooden’s exploits were unmatched. His teams captured seven straight titles, won 88 consecutive games, and had a perfect 10-0 record in championship contests. Overall,…
Read MoreThe Law of Empowerment
Biographers universally agree that personal insecurity factored heavily in the downfall of former American President Richard Nixon. Rather than empowering others, President Nixon clutched at power so tightly that he lost all sense of morality and ethics. Obsessively fearing his critics, Nixon authorized a domestic espionage group to spy on his political opponents. When members…
Read MoreWhen Plans Don’t Go According to the Script, Keep Planning
“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower As Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower planned, coordinated, and carried out the largest amphibious assault ever undertaken – the Invasion of Normandy. Historians regard him…
Read MoreConnectors Keep it Simple
William Henry Harrison gave the longest inaugural address of any U.S. President, taking two hours to plod through a whopping 8,445-word speech. Even though the speech was delivered outdoors on a frigid and rainy day, the President stubbornly refused to wear an overcoat or hat. As a result, he caught a cold that developed into…
Read MoreLeaders Cannot Afford to Neglect Planning
“Good planning always costs less than good reacting.” ~ Wayne Schmidt In October 2010 the most expensive public works project in America, ARC, officially met its demise. The project would have constructed two tunnels beneath the Hudson River to add much-needed railways between New Jersey and Manhattan. However, poor planning led to wasteful spending and…
Read MoreFrom Slot Machine to Stock Market: Investment Strategies for Relationships
In the early years of my career, I did not have a correct view of life. I approached life as if it were a slot machine. I wanted to put as little as possible into it, and I always hoped to hit the jackpot. I’m embarrassed to say that I often had a similar approach…
Read MoreFrom Class Dunce to World-Class Neurosurgeon: A Story of Empowerment
Ben Carson vividly remembers a playground conversation during which his fifth grade schoolmates selected him as the dumbest kid in their grade. In fact, after some debate, his classmates decided he was probably the dumbest kid in the world. Looking back from his vantage point as a world-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Carson can laugh at the…
Read MoreThe Dilution Dilemma: Making Your Messages Matter
As a leader, do you ever feel your important messages fall on deaf ears? Are your carefully constructed and communicated strategies always getting implemented? Are you often frustrated by the difference between the results you ask of others and what you actually get? Leaders agonize when developing vision, mission and strategy. They carefully choose words…
Read MoreThe Pain of Change
THE PAIN OF CHANGE The scariest moment of my life came on December 18th, 1998. I was celebrating at a company Christmas party with my employees and their spouses when I began to feel ill. At the end of the evening, an employee gave me a hug goodbye and noticed a cold sweat on the…
Read MorePride Comes Before The Fall
An ancient Hebrew proverb warns, “Pride comes before the fall,” and sometimes the adage is swiftly fulfilled. As a case in point, consider the story of American snowboarder, Lindsey Jacobellis. Cruising toward victory in the gold medal race of the snowboard cross, Jacobellis immodestly attempted to showboat on the second to last jump. She lost…
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