Do You Really Need Charisma to Lead?
Not everyone has the charismatic superhero personality that captivates a room, and attracts followers like metal filings to a magnet. For the many of us who may be a little short on vitamin C (charisma), are we doomed to permanent follower-ship while the outgoing back-slappers take over the world? I’d say don’t give up hope. […]
After Action Review: Is There an Elephant in the Room?
After every major event, good organizations and teams take a moment and very deliberately review what happened in an After Action Review. In this way, they can keep getting better. It’s a great process, but there’s an elephant in the room that can keep it from working. Today we’re going to talk about what that […]
Be a Finisher, Not Just a Starter
Why is it not enough to be a self-starter? Getting started on something is great. There are lots of great inspirational quotes you can read about starting:
The Humble Leader Paradox
How does a humble leader lead without becoming a door mat? I believe the Servant-Leader mindset is the best sustainable approach to leadership. But if you are not careful, it is easy to fall into the idea that to lead, you are supposed to be running around doing everything you can to make everybody happy. […]
Book Notes: Good to Great
There is a good reason that Jim Collins’ book Good to Great is a #1 best seller with over 3 million copies sold. It is jam-packed with revealing detail and captivating examples of what it took for some companies to rise to sustained greatness. What you may find most interesting from a leadership perspective are the […]
Feel Sorry on Your Own Time
The football arcs high above the field seemingly in slow motion, reaching its zenith, then nosing over and beginning its plummet to the field below. On the 15 yard line the rookie receiver waits. No fair catch – he’s got time to grab it and start to run. He’s already thinking about where he’s going […]
5 Ways to Build Credibility
Leadership is challenging enough when you know what you are doing. But when your teammates happen to have more knowledge or experience than you do, it can get a little tricky, especially in the early days. It’s OK, though – it turns out that there are lots of ways to address this situation quickly and […]
What is Referent Power and How do I Get Some?
How can referent power make me a better leader? Did you know that Nike pays Michael Jordan $50-60 million a year to sell shoes? Wanna know why? Two words: Referent Power. Take a likeable, successful person, have them endorse a product, and suddenly sales go up. Why? Because people identify with that person, maybe want […]
Building Trust: Six Building Blocks
This video takes a close look at one of the basic building blocks and most essential element of Leadership: Trust. Using rockets as a metaphor, we explore the six critical components of trust, understand why building trust is important, and introduce some ideas about how you can work to build on these components to become a […]