Posts with the ‘Leadership’ tag
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 […]
Who would you rather follow? A gray haired veteran who has two kids in college or a recently promoted 30 year old former cheerleader? To me, neither of these descriptions gives me enough information. I have seen both types lead well and both types act like spoiled adolescents. The differentiator between leaders is often maturity. […]
We were in last place. I was leading a team that began the year #71 of 72. By February we were alone in last place. In June, nothing had changed. As a new manager, I was losing sleep, losing my temper and losing my team. One night as I fretted over my team’s results with […]
I started my first team from scratch and it took us over two years to hit our stride. My second team had a mix of experienced and novice members on it. We took about a year to begin to fire on all cylindars. The next team was pieced together from other teams. The individuals were […]
Ready – Shoot – Aim! Unfortunately that can be my decision-making process. On the other end of the spectrum are leaders who tend to be Ready – Aim – Aim – Aim…. Both styles can be problematic. One causes a lot of starting and a lot of stopping to happen. The other causes nothing to […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
