It doesn’t take long as a leader to discover how challenging it can be to work with people. People are not projects. They have hearts. They are emotional to the core. People are the life-breath of leadership. Leaders don’t just manage people, they LEAD people. Thus, leaders must constantly develop their skills of genuine interaction. Read More…
It is nearly impossible to describe great leadership in few words. Too many important and neccesary qualities come to mind. What top traits define a leader? How do you acquire them? Who out there in the “who’s who” of leadership truly exemplifies them? Here is my valiant attempt at a brief summation for your consideration. Read More…
Leadership is listening more and speaking less. In fact, much of a leader’s practice is to listen first. Will Rogers once said, “We should never miss a good chance to shut up.” We aren’t obligated to do all the talking. Essential to great leadership is regularly applying discretion and discipline in the art of intentional and focused listening. Read More…
In my experience with consulting leaders, I’ve discovered that many feel they are too hard on themselves. They believe their expectations are unrealistic both of themselves and others. As a result, they experience constant, discouragement, disappointment, and discontent. The mental and emotional strain has taken its toll… Read More…
Leadership is constant growth. You cannot escape it. You must simply accept it. If you’re not being stretched and challenged, you’re not growing. Growing is accompanied by frequent spurts of real pain and frustration. Therefore, your threshold of pain must be increased if you’re ever going to go the next level of leadership. Read More…
Nothing is more draining in a leader’s life than personal insecurity: falsely projecting feelings we think others have towards us. Leaders need to deal with this in order to be what people need from them. Those we lead are looking for stability in our emotional outlook. We have enough external negativity trying to drag us down. Read More…
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The world belongs to the energetic.” Leadership demands far more energy than normal. Many rely on caffeine, energy drinks, or even mood altering/enhancing stimulants to keep going. These may temporarily sustain a false sense of well-being but may suppress real energy and its long-term benefits. Read More…
Whether it’s a small gathering or large public forum, from the second you enter a room and step up to lead, you can either elevate the pulse of the environment or flatline it. The first impression is the most crucial part of the experience. Here are five ways to raise the climate of anticipation and expectation for a leadership encounter. Read More…
Top level leaders have an internal force that drives them. This force is called obsession. This obsession often borders on recklessness. To achieve any kind of significant success over the long-term in leadership, you must learn how to sustain deep and long-term obsession. Passion alone is not enough. Of course, it’s important, but… Read More…
Sometimes, certain situations cannot be avoided. That awkward conversation is long overdue. The sour attitude, the constant resistance, the oppositional defiance, the laziness, the non-compliance must be addressed. Some leaders avoid these moments because they are uncomfortable with or unprepared for conflict. Read More…
