Leadership Lessons from the Life of Saint Patrick
Lost in the midst of shamrocks, green-clad partygoers, and leprechauns there is a story of a tremendous leader – Saint Patrick. That we celebrate a holiday bearing his name 1,500 years after his death attests to the greatness of Ireland’s patron saint. Saint Patrick’s life teaches valuable lessons about the power of forgiveness. THE LIFE…
Read MorePoised for Success
The 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry is equipped to deploy anywhere in the world within 36 hours to capture or destroy enemy fighters. The men and women of the 2-327th represent some of the fiercest warriors in the United States military. In spite of its reputation for power and ferocity, the 2-327th Infantry produced a hero…
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 MoreA Dream that Passed the Test
President Barack Obama’s inauguration symbolized, in part, fulfillment of one of America’s noblest dreams – the dream of racial equality. Fittingly, President Obama took the oath of office at the same site where Martin Luther King, Jr. had given his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech almost 45 years earlier. An estimated 1.9 million onlookers…
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 MoreLeading difficult people: Fearful Fred
Someone once said, “90% of the art of living consists in getting along with people you cannot understand.” Haven’t you found that to be true? I know that if everyone were just like me, then relationships would sure be a lot simpler. But people ARE different, in wonderfully complex ways. And there IS an art…
Read MoreGratitude: The Origin of Service
As a struggling comedian, Danny Thomas was discouraged and felt as if his career was headed nowhere. While attending mass, Thomas turned his attention to Saint Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes. He whispered a prayer for guidance, vowing to give back if ever he was blessed with the ability to earn a living…
Read MoreCan a Team Have Too Many Leaders?
According to prevailing wisdom, the best businesses create a culture that attracts influencers and develops leaders throughout the organization. Yet, if having an abundance of leaders is such a great thing, what accounts for the enduring popularity of maxims warning against having too many leaders? “Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” “Too many cooks…
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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