I believe leadership is inherently a positive term. Some well known experts whom I respect define leadership as influence, or influence towards a common objective. However, I believe these definitions do not go far enough. In my mind, being a leader is a positive statement. There is a moral component to leadership. Leadership is not […]
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. […]
Skilled workers are available. In this economy, there is always someone available who can do the job. Skill and competencies are not hard to find or to hire. Character is a different story. As I have worked with oil and gas companies, large integrated medical systems, large regional banks and Fortune 50 companies, I see […]
My un-resume is my list of screw-ups. They are things I am not proud of. Periodically I share my un-resume with the world. Most people who speak and consult on leadership are sure to present their successes to their clients. I’m doing something different. Yes, I’ve had success through the years and received awards and […]
The death of a good idea is a tragedy. Many individuals bring forward great ideas only to see them assaulted by three different assassins. I have watched the assaults and done nothing. Yet, I wondered why my team was stagnating and not moving forward. I was asleep at the wheel. These assassins were individuals, groups […]
Lying, cheating, and cowardice, are all habits that can become addictions in the same way smoking, drinking, pornography and drugs can become addictions. I have often used the latter to explain how our character habits are formed. But last week I heard Pete Hinojosa (www.petehinojosa.com) speak on leading and coaching people. As he discussed a […]
Some people are joy suckers. They can enter any situation and suck the fun right out of the room. It is a gift really. A gift I appreciate as much as a good case of pink eye. The unfortunate thing is, a bad attitude is just as contagious. We can all have off days. This […]
Sam spoke to both the VP’s he had targeted during the three day planning meeting in Orlando. He was able to tell them exactly what was happening in his department. There was no doubt he had impressed them with his knowledge of the company, and how he handled his troops. When Sam got to the […]
“Why should I do that?” she asked. “It’s called leadership.” I said trying to reassure her. “It’s what leaders do.” Webster defines leadership. College textbooks define leadership. Leadership books define leadership. I even define leadership. (Leadership: Beyond the Dictionary Definition) Sometimes those definitions are adequate and sometimes they are not. Some are very academic, some […]
Naïve. That was me. When I was an entry level salesman, I looked at my boss and believed his job had all the perks. He was paid more, was in control and got to travel to great cities for meetings. Being a leader had to be better than being where I was. A lot of […]
