Leading difficult people: Excited Eddie
I love spending time with enthusiastic people. I’m pretty high-energy myself. An enthusiastic follower can be a joy to work with. His excitement about his work has the potential to energize the entire team. With one exception. Let’s talk about Excited Eddie. He’s got loads of enthusiasm for his work, but only to a point.…
Read MoreLeadership in the Age of Innovation
At one time, people with their “heads in the clouds” were derided for being hopelessly disconnected from the real world. However, with the emergence of cloud computing, living in the clouds may swiftly become the best-connected way of life. Tech experts herald cloud computing as a game-changing technological innovation with the potential to profoundly alter…
Read MoreCreating The Space To Innovate
On July 8th, NASA will launch a space shuttle for the final time when Atlantis lifts off for the International Space Station. The flight of Atlantis marks the last of 135 manned missions conducted over the past thirty years by NASA’s space shuttle program. The program has done much to advance scientific knowledge of the…
Read MoreLeading difficult people: Slumped Susan
Here’s a truth that I’ve believed for a long time: Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less. If a leader has no one following, he’s only taking a walk. Of course, not everyone is easy to influence. Some followers are difficult to connect with. Last week we talked about the art of influencing difficult people,…
Read MoreDo You Remember the Time?
“Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things.” ~ Cicero What memories does Christmas bring to your mind? Perhaps you remember the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning to find a pile of presents under the tree. Maybe you recall sledding, snowball fights, or sipping hot chocolate by the fireplace. You may even…
Read MoreBreaking the Patterns of Worry for Your Team
Practical Tools for Leaders: Breaking the Patterns of Worry Anxiety is one of the top nemesis to a leader (and all humans for that matter). This issue can paralyze the progress of any organization. After years of working with CEO’s and business owners I have noticed that we all have a pattern for dealing with…
Read MoreChanges Worth Making
Comfort lulls us into complacency. We get accustomed to routine or familiar with a role, so we settle in. As leaders, we must relentlessly challenge ourselves not to let ease and security dissuade us from making the changes necessary to fulfill our vision. Perhaps the most difficult transition I chose to make as a leader…
Read MoreDon’t Sink Your Success by Ignoring Relationships
John Paul Jones is regarded as The Father of the American Navy, and rightly so given his heroic courage in battle and his devotion to America’s struggle for independence. Yet sadly, Jones alienated himself from the country he loved, dying penniless and alone in France at the age of 45. Why did the war hero’s…
Read MoreStepping Out Against Fear
Often in life, the biggest fear to overcome is taking the first step. Leaders make the first move, and in doing so, they inspire others to act. By initiating action, leaders serve as pioneers, paving the trail for others to walk after them.As a black man living in the Deep South in the 1960’s James…
Read MoreStrategic Leaders Look Further Ahead
America seems to be waking up to its weight problem. Popular reality television shows Biggest Loser and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution inspire viewers to shed pounds, or better yet, to avoid putting them on in the first place. Bestselling books, Eat This, Not That! and Cook This, Not That! teach readers how to order and…
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