I love having my grandchildren come from their far distances for visits. But having them in my home creates a side-effect that I never fully prepare for. There is somewhat of a mystery to Kiki and Pop’s house that keeps them searching with every return. Noah asks questions about new decorative pieces across the house. Joshua […]
Continue ReadingSeptember was a busy month, with several opportunities to interact with large numbers of clients at a time. So I asked many of them this one simple question; What is the greatest threat to your effectiveness? There were two recurring answers: distractions and procrastination. As the prevalence of these two themes became apparent I decided […]
Continue ReadingProviding directives from an unapproachable office may accomplish short term goals. It will not produce sustainable results, and will not develop thriving team members. Learning to lead without walls demands asking, seeking, and knocking. These three skills will grow the leader to develop people on task, not merely task oriented people. Ask a powerful question. […]
Continue ReadingI had many super-heroes as a child, from Superman to Batman. One of my favorites was The Lone Ranger. He had a mask, a cool white horse named Trigger, and shot silver bullets with amazing accuracy. I can’t ride like The Lone Ranger. I have on occasion thought I could shoot silver bullets to obliterate […]
Continue ReadingBenjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, has spurred many to consider developing a plan of action. Individuals get goals and organizations develop strategic plans. People do not want to fail. Businesses and organizations cannot afford to fail. It is interesting that even as great strategies and plans […]
Continue ReadingOne of my all-time favorite leadership books continues to be Donald T. Phillips’, Lincoln on Leadership. A student of leadership, and of Lincoln, my first visit to the Lincoln Memorial overwhelmed me. I stood at the feet of a statue of a giant of a man that humbly and powerfully led with a vision, while […]
Continue ReadingParalysis by analysis. Keeping your options open can prohibit your success. Leaders need decisive action. Hanging on to options too long ultimately leads to inaccurate decisions. By the time decisions are finally made the moment has passed and information is irrelevant. Effective leaders set deadlines for task completion. However, too many leaders do not set […]
Continue ReadingSteve’s excitement to take my first born daughter as his wife was evidenced by his talking faster than normal and inability to be found anywhere before the wedding. He was around. He was just on the move, talking to family and friends, trying to get to everyone before the ceremony began. Because he was joining […]
Continue ReadingErnest Hemingway, one of the widest read authors of the 20th century preferred listening to talking. Perhaps his great literary works came as a result of listening to others. Listen carefully to his words…“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” Listening is foundational to building […]
Continue ReadingRefueling inflight has become common practice for large payload aircraft. When the purpose of the flight is to carry significant weight the aircraft sacrifices fuel weight for cargo. Being able to refuel inflight saves time. The plane can go longer distances. Many leaders I know awake each day with a large payload to carry. And […]
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