Signing Your Work: How the Last Details Make a Lasting Difference
He and his crew labored for months high in the Colorado Rockies last summer. They hiked through snow and dodged rattlesnakes in the desert while working with the Southwest Conservation Corps to preserve America’s wildest places. I asked him what he had learned about teamwork and leadership from that experience. What he shared with me about […]
8 Gratitude Practices to Improve Your Sleep, Smarts, and Sanity
Two old friends met each other on the street one day. One looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world done to you, my old friend?” The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you: three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.” “That’s a […]
Building the Team: Why You Don’t Need New Shoes
Think you need to make a change on your team? Not able to advance because someone is holding you back? It is easy to catch yourself thinking along these lines. But the other day I came to an interesting realization when I paused to think about my old running shoes. Here’s why your “racing” success is […]
Book Notes: The Right Kind of Crazy
“How do you build a close-knit innovative team under high pressure?” Imagine being put in charge of leading a team to do something that man has never been done before. You have about ten people with widely differing backgrounds and personalities to work with. You have tight budgetary limitations, a rapidly shrinking timeline and high […]
How to Get Kicked Out of Leadership School: The Spotlight Leader
Do you have what it takes to get through the Army’s toughest leadership school? Those who attend the U.S. Army’s Ranger School prepare months in advance in the attempt to pass this grueling leadership course. Even so, the failure rate is high – anywhere from 40-60% of this select group still don’t make the grade […]
Leading With a Blind Eye: Why You Can’t Ignore the Thing You Didn’t Want to See
Why turning a “blind eye” is hazardous to the health of your team In 1801, Admiral Horatio Nelson was leading several warships in a desperate fight against the Danish in the Battle of Copenhagen. His ships were part of a larger fleet commanded by another Admiral. Back in those days, commanders communicated with their fleet […]
How to use the EDGE Technique to Lead Your Team
Did you know that organizations have a life cycle? In this video, we’ll talk about what the stages of that life cycle are, and how you can adjust your leadership approach to successfully lead your team in every stage.
Cornerstone of Leadership: What’s Yours?
The location, orientation, and strength of a building are determined by its cornerstone. And just as a building needs that firm foundation to be strong, any organization also needs a basis of strength and purpose that orients and guides its actions. These things come from its leaders. These are its cornerstone. The question is, as […]
Joining the Team: What the New Guy Won’t Tell You
We’ve all been there, but it’s funny how quickly we can forget the “New Guy” experience. Yet how you bring a new person onto the team will have a lot to do with how long they stay, and how productive they’ll be. Here are four things that the new guy won’t tell you, and what […]
How to Get Inside their Heads: Understanding the Team Development Model
Effective team development requires us to understand the life cycle of teams; here are the stages and how to lead effectively every step of the way.
9 Leadership Mistakes to Avoid
In a recent online poll, about 1,000 U.S. workers were asked what their biggest complaints were about their leaders. Today we’ll talk about the top nine of these complaints, how they are connected, and what you can do to avoid being one of the leaders they are complaining about.
The Abilene Paradox: When Agreement is Bad
Not sure where your team is heading? Wonder what will be waiting for you when you get there? Sounds like you might just be on the Bus to Abilene. Here’s how to recognize if you’re on that Bus and how to get it turned in the right direction.