Business is a Battlefield

Nowhere does the character of leaders and the quality of their decisions have larger consequences than on a battlefield. United States Military history is filled with leaders whose decisions will inspire you and others whose decisions will make you ask “Why?”
The lessons learned on America’s battlefields are analogous to the business world whether you are for profit or non-profit, produce a product or deliver a service, or work in a large organization or for yourself. In battles as famous as The Battle of Gettysburg or as obscure as The Battle of Pea Ridge there are lessons to be learned that apply to business today.

My Un-resume: I Treated Everyone Equally

July 11, 2012 in Business is a Battlefield with 0 Comments
Tags: Attitude, Courage, Un-Resume

As a leader, one of my biggest mistakes was believing I should treat everyone equally. This is a societal fallacy that has moved into HR driven management training. In fact, treating people equally is management not leadership.

Treating all people equally is a management strategy that is meant to prevent litigation. It is a strategy that has little to do with driving productivity, developing leaders, or motivating employees.

As I strived to build Low Maintenance Teams in a bureaucratic organization characterized by equal treatment for all, I would often tell my people, “I will treat you all fairly, but I will not treat you equally.” Continue Reading…