Here is my definition of leadership: Inspiring intentionally-developed teams to achieve transformative visions. Each word is carefully chosen: Inspiring—Leaders change “we must get them to..” move to “we must inspire them to..”move. Intentionally-developed—Leaders must be strategic in every action they take, as they are the focusers of human energy: everything from hiring the best, diverse […]
When I video my daughter dancing at competitions, I’m locked/loaded on her performance, zooming in on her and often not capturing the team performance as a whole in the picture—nor am I actively listening to my wife or anyone around me at that moment. Focus is essential for a leader to be productive. But hyper-focus can […]
What are you just “living with” that is distracting you from becoming the best version of yourself? About what are you saying, “It is what it is” too often? Sure, some things and other people’s decisions are truly out of your control, but you probably have more influence than you think on a great deal […]
No one is in charge of your career path except you. There are too many variables, and you are too unique for anyone to script a cookie-cutter path for you to follow. However, you CAN identify a target position and brainstorm an often-changing route to get there—just remember to keep it flexible, alert for doors […]
If you really want to get better and refine your leadership skills, you have to get a little vulnerable and ask for feedback from your team. Develop a simple leader report card to distribute to them, and adopt a learner’s mindset when receiving the results. Thank the team for their courage to comment on your […]
Your team needs clarity to be successful–and to avoid unnecessary conflict. Some of those areas are: The parameters of their role: re-look at their job description together to assure they are doing what you need that role has been designed to accomplish. This can also prevent job description creep where tasks get added unofficially. What […]
Each of us wields tremendous power with the words we speak. We can make someone’s day–or spoil it if we aren’t careful. Here are some word-weapons to keep locked away so that they don’t cause damage in your relationships: The flame-thrower: uncontrolled venting, like a tantrum of emotionally-hostile words The sniper rifle: pre-meditated digs or […]
Volunteerism is one way to give back to your community to a cause for which you are passionate about supporting. Sometimes, you find yourself restless in a volunteer role–be it as a board member or a role player– and questioning whether you should continue or resign. There is a third option: renaissance! Get more involved […]
It’s been said that you become like the people you hang around and the media that you regularly intake. Because of that, it’s essential to examine your social media feeds and other inputs, so that you choose ones that are on the trajectory that you want to become—and lead others toward. Evaluate your: Social media: […]
“In conclusion…” Your day needs a grand finish, putting an exclamation point on it; AND, tomorrow needs a good set-up for success. Try these a la carte options, or mix in your own, and then keep the streak going until it becomes a new positive habit for your success. Reading: Maybe you need a novel […]
