I was in the sixth grade and my brother was in the seventh. Dad, a Marine Corps veteran who saw plenty of action up close and personal during World War II on the beaches of Saipan and Iwo Jima, decided that we should get boxing gloves for Christmas. What could go wrong? In Dad’s defense, [...]
Our accumulated life-to-date experiences cause us to believe in and rely on the abilities we think got us here. “It worked last time; I’ll try it again.” It’s not hard to imagine that we could use these abilities to the point of being entrenched in their familiarity. There’s a problem. Repeating what has worked has gotten us where [...]
One of the great discoveries about participating in leadership is that “it’s not about you any more.” You can focus your energies, efforts and expertise on that vast population of … others! ...leadership is about building willing followership for a cause, an idea or a course of action It’s because leadership is about building willing [...]
At a basic level strategy answers two questions: where will we play and how will we win? Should everyone in our business know those answers? If they don’t, how can we expect them to know how to choose between two good things when the decision arises? To discern which is best? Choosing between a good [...]
Standing for something is not always comfortable. Yet, discomfort brings engagement and change. Discomfort means you're doing something that others were unlikely to do, because they're hiding out in the comfortable zone. Standing for something will likely require a special strength; one that allows for choosing discomfort over comfort as being a good and right [...]
There are two kinds of simplicity. The first is on this side of complexity. It is easy, cheap and superficial. It doesn’t ask for much. Neither does is give much in return. It will often lead you astray and keep you from what you need most: understanding. The second kind of simplicity is on the [...]
What got us here wont’t get us there. Many, if not most, upwardly mobile executives made a name for themselves by solving hard problems. While that is a valuable skill set, it rarely opens the door to the C-suite by itself. Of course there are still problems to solve, but they pale in comparison to [...]
We all need to get away sometimes. “Away” doesn’t have to be somewhere exotic, or some place that involves boarding passes or long car trips. Not even a weekend getaway. Just a respite; a brief time out from the day-to-day routine that provides a recharge, a renewal, or a reset. Spontaneity is good. Give yourself [...]
If you change the context, you change the meaning of something. For example, if you desire more clarity, add contrast. Contrast creates clarity. Watch the video. . In Other Words... One should use common words to say uncommon things. ― Arthur Schopenhauer The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s [...]
Communication is more that speaking words. It’s more than just delivering content. Consider Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, who has become known by his work on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages. He drew two conclusions from his research. First, that there are basically three elements in any face-to-face communication: [...]
