How to Tell if You Are Sinking or Swimming as a Leader
How can 80% of people believe themselves to be above average leaders? One of the many challenges of being a leader is knowing how well we are doing. Are we sinking or swimming? It can be hard to really know, and yet knowing is the key to becoming better at it. As I was surprised […]
The Role of Fear in Leadership: Is it Better to be Feared or Loved as a Leader?
Is it better to be feared or loved as a leader? It’s an age-old question that seems to keep cropping up. Authoritative writers talk about how leaders need to be open, transparent, empathetic, and willing to listen. Yet like the Humble Leader Paradox, if that’s the way you act, great, but what’s to keep people […]
Everyday Winners – How to Build Mental Toughness One Day at a Time
How do you win the daily struggle to get out the door? Temperatures have been dropping lately. Now it takes more effort to get out the door for my morning run. Yesterday I had to analyze the weather. Contend with warm clothing decisions. Wrestle them all on. Shiver through the first mile until the blood […]
Delegating Effectively: It’s Not Tennis
If I’m delegating effectively, why do I always seem to have the ball? We all know that as leaders we need to delegate effectively. As one boss even told me, “You have to delegate or die!” But sometimes it can seem like that ball keeps bouncing back into your hands. You start to wonder, what’s […]
The Golden Rule, With a Twist
No written word nor spoken plea, Can teach your team what they should be, Nor all the books on all the shelves, It’s what the leader is himself. – from Wooden on Leadership The most powerful form of leading is personal example. It’s a simple idea. Be the way you want others to be. Do […]
New Leader Checklist: 4 Questions to Ask if You Want to Lead Effectively
Whether it’s your first leadership position or your fifty-first, taking over can be a challenging business. One key to success? Don’t start out by answering questions; start by asking them. Today we’ll talk about four new leader questions you should ask, and how to get the answers so that you can lead confidently and effectively.
Mind the Gap: 9 Ways to Close the Trust Gap on Your Team
People will only willingly follow you if they trust you, and believe in your destination. But like boarding a train, there comes a moment when they have to step from the platform into the passenger compartment and join you for the ride. Crossing that gap is a leap of faith: It requires trust. Yet a […]
5 Essential New Manager Survival Tips
Your first days as the new leader of a team can be a challenge – new faces, new places, the fire hose is on and you are definitely drinking in as much as you possibly can. And even as all this is happening, you are anxious to make a good impression, build your team, and […]
Leadership Lessons Learned from Lost Luggage
Sometimes the simplest of actions can have far-reaching impact. When the unexpected happened during our fall camp out, one Scout was left without the clothing he needed to keep warm. But with the help of friends and the kind act of a stranger, not only did he make it through the weekend, we all learned […]
7 Leadership Paradoxes: It’s Not What You Thought
Too often the new leader steps forward to take charge, but quickly becomes frustrated when people won’t listen to his demands. What’s wrong? These leaders don’t see the paradoxes of leadership. What they think they need to do to be a good leader is actually making it harder for them to lead. Today we’ll talk about seven […]
Leading Your Friends: 9 Ways to Lead Your Former Peers
Congratulations – you’ve just been promoted to Team Lead! What’s the bad news? It’s the same team you’ve been on. How are you going to lead your friends? One of the hardest things to do as a leader is to lead your peers. When you all come from the same starting point, what is the basis […]
Book Notes – Sea of Glory: The 7 Habits of the Highly Insecure Leader
Lacking confidence in your leadership? Are you an insecure leader? Sometimes the things we are tempted to do to compensate for insecurity are the worst options, as Lieutenant Wilkes, United States Navy, found out the hard way in 1838. Here’s what happened, how you can avoid these seven deadly habits, and build the confidence you […]