Leadership

George Bernard Shaw said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." Wow! The nerve of him! I can’t speak for you, but I have learned that lesson the hard way. Just because you say something doesn’t mean they heard it, believe it or will do it. Here is the reality, gang: people aren’t thinking about you, people are thinking about themselves. It doesn’t matter if it is a group/team meeting or a one-to-one with you; they are preoccupied with their own stuff. When we communicate, we must never be me-centered, we must always be others-centered. Preparation is first and foremost in communicating. The more you know about the needs, the pain points, and [...]

Recently, I shared a little about being a leader coach. Here are some more truths with the hope you find these useful. A good coach is POSITIVE; our job isn't to find fault or assess blame. It starts with what is working, what is good and putting energy there. Remember, people grow the most where they know the most. A good coach is ENTHUSIASTIC. Your attitude speaks loudly. It is catchy; be careful of the gloom and doom projecting. A good coach is FOCUSED. To be effective, you must be specific, focused, and keep the discussion on the topic at hand. A good coach is OBSERVANT. Business author and consultant Tom Peters refers to this as "management by walking around [...]

As leaders, setbacks come with the territory. We wouldn't need leaders if everything ran smoothly—perhaps a strange way to look at job security. If you have been in leadership for any reasonable amount of time, you have come to accept setbacks, disappointments, conflicts, and just plain failure. You see, in the middle of the pain is where we find authentic leadership. It is the leader's mindset: A SETBACK IS NOTHING OTHER THAN A SET-UP FOR THE COMEBACK. We, as leaders, must wear this on our sleeves. Be an example of how to deal with failure, disappointment etc. My friend and author John Maxwell said it best, "EXPERIENCE IS NOT THE BEST TEACHER, ONLY EVALUATED EXPERIENCE IS." This is where the [...]

Destination disease is such a strong phrase that John Maxwell coined.  As a leader, we need to avoid this disease at all costs. The consequences are not good. So, what is destination disease, you ask? It is when you believe you have arrived, have all the answers, are at the top, and have success in your pocket. As a result, the tendency is to stop growing, stop learning, and stop pushing to acquire new skills and knowledge. It is not hard to be content, especially at the top. You have the influence and respect of your people. Here is what I know to be true when you are through learning, YOU ARE THROUGH. That's it, plain and simple. The bottom [...]