One the greatest challenges for leaders is confrontation. Confrontation that leads to positive results is sadly missing among many. Let’s look at two positive approaches to confrontation. Confronting poor motives Confronting incomplete thought Currently I am involved with a group of university students eager to learn how to lead more effectively. As such we are […]
Continue ReadingYou and I live among people that love to talk about extending grace, or better yet, receiving grace. For some grace resembles a “get out of jail free” card. For others grace transcends any other aspect of decision making. I recently asked a college professor what were the key factors in leading her to accept […]
Continue ReadingHow do you tell the difference? What is your vetting process? Emerging leaders routinely complain about the seemingly endless distractions they face. And in the midst of fragmented minds and procrastinating coworkers, you can quickly distinguish between opportunities and distractions. On a dusty first century road, Jesus and his disciples were trekking to Jerusalem. Jesus […]
Continue ReadingThe word “authority” too frequently prompts a defensive response to unilateral orders, absolute power, or irresponsible behavior. However, authority in leadership creates sustainable success when authority is not defined by position power. Let’s look at a proper model of leadership authority. Centuries ago a Roman centurion sent a coalition to a well known leader and asked for […]
Continue ReadingA leadership team I consult with recently lost a valued member. In discussing next steps one well meaning employee stated, “what we need is a clone of Michael”. Granted, Michael’s commitment and impact propelled the team to achievements beyond their expectations. Most agreed that Michael carried the team on his back. Did the team need […]
Continue ReadingWhere will the future leaders of your organization come from? Will you develop from within? Will you seek to recruit outside talent as needed? Or both? While there are many options, organizations need to plan now for the next generation of leaders. Realizing the generational differences could impact your strategy. A few organizations still employ […]
Continue Reading2016: resolutions, goals, expectations. A blank slate. Opportunities for new client acquisitions, increased market share, greater brand awareness. Whether you spent the holidays on a sofa, on a beach, or on a mountain, more than likely you had at least one daydream of a brighter 2016. Unfortunately, most dreams are not realized. This year can […]
Continue ReadingI was going to write this blog post last week, but I got busy doing other stuff…or something like that. So many opportunities. So many distractions. So many forfeited advances. From coulda to shoulda to woulda, procrastination keeps even the best intentions from becoming reality. As a consultant and coach who specializes in helping people […]
Continue ReadingMarianne, the VP of Sales and Marketing and her counterpart Alex, the VP of Operations, were meeting for lunch with Rod, the CEO to discuss the increasing tension between the two departments. An old brass lamp was on the table. The VP of Sales quickly picked it up to examine it’s worth. Once disturbed, the […]
Continue ReadingThe 2015 news on colleges and universities is out. Salaries for graduates are up, and so is college debt. With those numbers, one would hope that universities are producing a labor force with the best communication skills ever. I wish it were so. We certainly have technological advances enabling information transmission across almost any conceivable medium. Our […]
Continue Reading