Posts with the ‘Courage’ tag
There is a war that rages inside most of us. The combatants are Fear and Character. The weapons used in this war are our hearts and our heads. In my case, like in most wars, my character wins some of the battles and my fear wins some. But, which one will win the war? The […]
Titles mean something. Team Leader, Manager, Supervisor, Vice-President- they are all titles bestowed on those who are called by an organization to lead. They have the official duties and responsibilities that go with the title. John Maxwell says leadership is influence. If that is true, are the people with the titles the only ones called […]
I have no words. What can I do? This does not make any sense. It is not fair. I agree. That is what I feel right now, plus so much more. I have anger and sadness. People have died and there are people in pain in Texas and across the ocean to other countries because […]
There was always a lot of talk, but there was rarely any progress. I was worn out at the end of every meeting. The leadership team was stuck. Therefore the whole company was stuck. Leadership through risk avoidance inspires nobody! If a leader wants to have committed followers, the leader must be willing to take […]
“Sorry. It’s policy.” This comment may be true, but it can also be a sign of a weak leader. Policies are not perfect – especially personnel policies. Leaders need to be willing to stand up and fight when needed. Most companies have personnel policies, and the larger the company the more rigid the policies usually […]
Be careful following a leader just because he has gray hair. The tenure or the age of a leader does not always signal wisdom. Here is the question: Is the leader growing in wisdom or growing in fear? A lot of people let the past keep them from moving forward. But when a leader is […]
There was an upperclassman at West Point who I was sure was the worst leader I had ever met. Then I met a commander in the Army that jumped to the top of the list. But, it was not until I hit the corporate world that I met someone who, to this day, ranks at […]
Last month, I spoke to over 700 people about the role of courage in leadership. I had 10 minutes to speak. Courage goes beyond the physical courage displayed by our soldiers on the battlefield. Moral courage is needed from leaders in the hallways and boardrooms of businesses and non-profits as well. Click on the image […]
Trust in a relationship, whether it is at work or at home, is the foundation to the success of that relationship. Without trust between individuals or on a team, mediocrity and failure are the most likely results. I have worked for people who told me I had to earn their trust. I have worked in […]
Ownership or excuses. One is the mark of a leader. The other is a sign that I am bound for mediocrity and failure. In the long run, people who make excuses stall out. Making excuses is a habit. I wrote about how West Point deals with this habit in West Point: How Leaders Seize Accountability. […]
