What Are You Mastering?
The question of what unique abilities, traits, and practices that inspire and enable certain people to rise up and achieve greatness in their chosen vocations is one that has fascinated me for some time. It’s estimated that it takes upwards of ten thousand hours of practice to become a master, a world-class expert in a […]
Activate Your Energy With A Renewed Purpose For Living
I recently came across a fascinating story that illustrates how having a higher purpose – beyond self-interest – can activate your passion, your zest for life. Not only does this story have application for your personal life; it also has a strong and relevant business imperative as we attempt to build cultures that awaken the […]
Everyday Heroes: The Leaders In Organizations Who Are Not In Charge
In every office, in every community, in every organization, there are true leaders. Most of the time they aren’t the ones with the titles. But they meet our criteria for leadership in that they have followers. People listen to them and are influenced by them. These true leaders are the ones that get the real […]
Employee Engagement Surveys Are Not The Whole Story
I’m not against employee engagement surveys. I’m just not in favor or our over-reliance on them for an accurate picture of what’s really going in a culture. Reading your employee engagement surveys is like reading a newspaper or watching the news. It’s interesting, but it’s not the whole picture. It’s a small spectrum of what’s […]
An Inspiring Learning Community of Leadership
I work with some absolutely amazing clients who so often inspire me. Such was the case this week as I spent two days with a group of principals and education leaders and their trustees from the St. Albert Protestant Schools Division.In my years of working with leaders, this was truly one of the most cohesive, […]
Leadership Lessons From A Beloved Mayor
Boston is one of my favorite cities. I get there at least once a year for work or to visit friends. For my daughter’s thirteenth birthday, we flew to Boston for a rare opportunity to see a Red Sox game and a Bruin’s game in the same day. The Fenway Park experience will be embedded […]
Engagement Flows From Personal Values
Over the years, my colleagues and I have spent considerable energy and time helping leaders create an aligned culture by clarifying their organizational values. We lead off-site retreats, creating corporate value statements and developing processes for getting those values into the hearts of their employees. But this is not what inspires commitment and engagement. It’s […]
Authentic Leadership, Character, and Structural Integrity
Some of the best conversations I have had have come after a presentation when sitting in a lounge debriefing and philosophizing with participants. Such was the case this past week, in a conversation with a project engineer, Steve Kay, who works for the City of Grande Prairie. I’ve always had great respect for engineers and […]
Authentic Leadership: The World Needs A Skeptic, Not A Cynic
What’s the difference between a skeptic and a cynic? Here’s my take: A skeptic (according to Encarta® World English Dictionary) is “somebody who questions the validity or truth of things that most people accept.” Skeptics challenge the status quo. Skeptics are necessary for the growth and development of an organization, a culture, and a community. […]
Resolving Conflict – The Authentic Way
We’ve all heard that differences are necessary in any relationship, team, or organization. After all, if we were all the same we wouldn’t have conflict. And without conflict you don’t learn, grow, or create anything new. The challenge is how to make conflict productive. How do you use conflict to discover, expand, and create rather […]
