Courage:
Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point.
– C.S. Lewis
84% of employees do not believe their company’s culture is widely upheld according to a study by the Aberdeen Group. The startling thing is the numbers are only slightly better for executives who answered that same survey – 81% admitted they are not doing a good job upholding the company culture. These are the people who are responsible for reinforcing the culture!
There are times when I love to drive. Long drives on open roads are some of my favorites. I like to have my music turned up and my seat pushed back. I enjoy uninterrupted views for miles.
But, there have been those moments when the ride changes. Like when I drive into a bank of fog. Everything changes. Continue Reading…
75% of a person’s waking hours are spent on work – Getting to and from work. Thinking about work. Actually working in their job.
I heard this statistic last week and started thinking about what an awesome responsibility we have as leaders.
My leadership at work has huge implications for the lives of my people. Not just their work lives, but also their home lives. Continue Reading…
My last 5 years leading sales teams I noticed a shift in our corporate culture. Because of increased regulations corporate compliance became a mantra throughout the organization.
Playing within the rules is a given in business. But, the increased communication around compliance had a negative side effect. Compliance became a goal in and of itself. The implication was that if I had a compliant team, I was a successful leader.
The grizzled veteran manager proudly declared, “My top priority is to take care of my team.” It sounded like I found a kindred spirit. I believe the leader’s job should be centered on his people.
But what I had discovered was a selfish, hard headed and insecure man. Over time, I learned he was not taking care of his people. He was looking out for #1. Continue Reading…
Lead, Follow AND Get Out of The Way! The famous bumper sticker actually reads Lead, Follow OR Get Out of The Way. But, for leaders the proper statement needs the AND instead of the OR.
For most people placed into leadership the call to lead is obvious. This is a no-brainer. A teacher’s job is to teach. A saleperson’s job is to sell. Also no-brainers.
But, what about following or even more confusing…getting out of the way? Continue Reading…
“Troy. Believe it or not, I am glad we got snowed-in tonight in Buffalo. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you better.”
“Me too, Rick. When I called my wife and said I was trapped in Buffalo with the boss, I was only half kidding. This has been great. Now it’s going to be even harder to tell you I am quitting.” Continue Reading…
Use a blog to build leaders! Really? My answer is yes. Leaders need simple, actionable tools for leadership development. How does a leader find time to build leaders when there are so many other tasks that demand a leader’s time and energy?
Blogs are a great resource, and they are not labor or time intensive. I hit a milestone publishing my 100th blog on Monday. I am writing blog 101 to share how to make these and other blogs work for you, the leader. Continue Reading…
I’ve been that guy. I wanted everything to run smoothly so I would do as Nancy Reagan did and “Just Say No.”
Years later, in my rearview mirror, I realize by saying “No” too quickly, I damaged my team and the individuals on my team. I missed opportunities to develop better decision makers and therefore better leaders.
What was it about me as a leader that made me say “No” so quickly? I usually had 1 of 3 excuses for saying “No” and none of them were good. Continue Reading…
Now what? After reviewing a stack of resumes, phone screenings, multiple interviews and reference checks, I have hired the best person out there for the job. What’s next?
I could do nothing, roll the dice and hope my new hire reaches the potential I see in them. Or I could eliminate chance and put the odds in my favor.
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