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Leadership Stories we Tell Ourselves and Teach Others
Often we’ve written a script in our heads that may or may not be accurate. But this script can be limiting us from attaining our full potential. In this linked post (Is Your “Story” Holding You Back? Six Ways to Rewrite It—and Supercharge Your Power by Nancy D. O’Reilly, PsyD), we discover ways our stories are limiting…
Read MoreLeading from the Back is an Art
We often see a leader as the point person, but the reality is leaders very seldom take the point, and when all goes well, maybe they shouldn’t. Leadership doesn’t take courage; it takes owning the responsibilities of their decisions but then must also inspire the courage of others to act on those decisions. Taking responsibility…
Read MoreLeadership and GPS – “Recalculating”
Life would be great if we had a “life GPS.” You know, “Darn, I missed that exit,” followed by an immediate “recalculating” from a calm voice. It didn’t matter how I failed to follow instructions; the beautiful GPS voice kept me from losing sight of my goal and helped me readjust my tactics with that…
Read MoreAre You Running To, From, For or Against?
We’re all running 1000 miles an hour, but are we running in the right direction for the right reason? Running to – this is goal-driven running. It is having a valid endpoint and a commitment to get there. If you are training for a half marathon, your goal is distinct and specific. “I am going…
Read MoreGetting Your Ducks in a Row – Strategic Planning
We often think about strategic planning as a one or two-day event that involves some crucial steps: Validating your mission, vision, values Doing a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis Thinking BIG about what you want to become Identifying 3-5 vital strategic initiatives that will take you to this future place These four steps are…
Read MoreTo Be a Great Leader Requires You to Be Wrong
Have you worked for a boss with all the answers and didn’t need new ideas or recommendations? In your humble opinion, was he/she that smart? Would the department, project, or organization have benefited from a boss that was not a “know it all”? As you start to add leadership to your job description, remember the…
Read More3 Steps to Team Alignment
How often have you worked with a team that isn’t on the same page? This familiar work situation of being misaligned is not the team’s fault, but the leader/manager’s responsibility. What Elements are required for Team Alignment? 1. Purpose 2. Culture 3. Values When any of these three elements are out of alignment, the result…
Read MoreThe Eight Attributes of a Transformational Leader
I have been very lucky to work for CEOs who understood the principle that leadership is not about doing business as usual but about transforming the organization. Transformation is what differentiates a capable leader from a great leader. Transformational leadership is not easy. It is fraught with risk and reward, angst and celebration, stress and…
Read MoreLeadership of Knowing When to Hand It Off
Leadership is about knowing when to step forward and knowing when to step away. Many times in my career, I have had a chance to do both. In my experience, stepping forward is much easier than stepping back. In every leadership role, there is a tipping point. Most leaders’ error is not seeing that tipping…
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