Snake Bit! A Case Study in Making Haste Slowly
In the heat of a crisis, as leaders we tend to want to jump in and start making decisions. The situation calls for boldness, decisiveness; now is our chance to rise to the occasion. To fail to act immediately may be interpreted as weakness. But if we act hastily we risk making bad decisions and making things worse […]
A Different View of Leadership: Not What You Might Expect
What does leadership look like? It takes on many forms. But on this day, at a major training exercise in the desert, it took on what for me was a very unexpected shape. Here’s the short story about a very different view of leadership I got when I pulled back the tent flap, and saw […]
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.
Managing the Boss: How to Deliver Bad News
No one likes to deliver bad news to the boss. But how you present a problem to them will have a lot to do with how they react to it. It’s more than just “managing the boss” – it’s seeing things from their perspective. Here is a way you can break the news, help to […]
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 […]
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.
Book Notes: The Slow Fix
In the 2011 Grand Prix Formula One race in Monaco, Lewis Hamilton’s car collided with another racer. There was damage to the rear wing end plate of his car. Under any other circumstances, his racing day would have been over. Changing tires during a pit stop is one thing, but repairing something more complicated like […]
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.
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 […]