Twelve Indicators Of Authenticity
For seven decades, leadership scholars have conducted thousands of studies to determine the traits of great leaders. Thankfully, none have constructed a clear profile of an ideal leader. There’s no single leadership style or approach to leadership you can imitate to become a great leader. We can certainly learn from others, but we all have […]
Why A Values-Based Approach To Leadership Is Critical for Engagement
When you hold a kite’s string, you are the anchor that allows it to soar high in the sky. Letting go of that string does not make the kite soar to greater heights. In fact, releasing your grip causes the kite to crash to the ground. Similarly, sustained principles act as an anchor for your […]
How much is enough?
Not long ago I gave a presentation to a group of entrepreneurs where the membership requirement was to be earning more than a million dollars a year. I started with a simple question: “How much is enough?” No one could answer the question. The best I got was, “More than we have now.” So many […]
Relaxation is Overrated
The past few months I’ve been working through a great online course by Cal Newport and Scott Young titled, “A Life Of Focus.” It’s about getting to what truly matters in your life, pruning the unimportant, and learning to stay focused on what is essential – without distraction. A central theme of the course, which […]
How Do You Spot Entitlement?
I’ve noticed that in the midst of great abundance there is an equal and opposite reaction: entitlement. It seems to be human nature that the more you get, the more you want. I grew up with telephone party lines, with one line for five or six residences. Sometimes you had to wait 1/2 hour to […]
How do you counter entitlement in your culture?
When you see entitlement in the culture where you live or work, there are five steps to counter it: Model the way. Just as you won’t expel darkness with frustration, you won’t drive out entitlement with annoyance. Instead of complaining, be the light. You attract others by being attractive. Stick with the winners. Find the […]
VALUES BASED LEADERSHIP – It’s Not What You Think
After guiding a senior leadership team to helping them identify their values, I proceeded to take them through a process of defining specifically how they would ensure that they would live these values in their leadership, first as an SLT and then throughout the company. Like most organizations, the value of “respect” was up near the top. […]
“Power Corrupts, Ultimate Power Corrupts Ultimately”
I once met a CEO who never promoted anyone until they spent a minimum of six months volunteering in a charitable organization. She understood that when working with volunteers, titles mean nothing. “If you can’t inspire and influence people without a title, there’s no way I’m putting a title in your hands.” Here are six […]
How Do You Know If You Are Drunk On Power?
In 2020, Michelle Gibbings, from LEADERONOMICS, wrote a great article entitled, Four Warning Signs That You Are Drunk On Power. https://lnkd.in/gs5kSAZh. Gibbings lists four warning signs: The leader thinks their rights and needs outweigh those of others and so their decision making is all about what works best for them. The leader stops listening to […]
Find Your Inspired Leadership: The Power Of Your Presence
The ability to inspire separates leaders from bosses. It takes inspired leadership to create an environment where people genuinely care about their work, about each other, and about going the extra mile. Only a few leaders are able to infuse the necessary energy, passion, and connection into their team. The ability to inspire isn’t about […]
