Posts Tagged ‘Leadership’
To 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 MoreLeaders Don’t Listen? Really?
Condoleezza Rice once said, “When you’re in a position of authority, you need truth-tellers around you.” Did she hit the mark? You bet.First, let us agree that one element of leadership is the authority. To be a leader, you must have some authority. This authority isn’t determined by power but by your ability to motivate,…
Read MoreA Leader’s Dilemma; Punish or Pamper?
On CBS Morning, there was a piece titled Punish or Pamper. The news story was about how to maximize productivity in the workplace. Why is this an either/or issue? Is managing a team about punish or pamper? I don’t think so… There are times when employees need and deserve to be pampered, and conversely, there…
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…
Read MoreBranching Strategy, It Starts with the Member
Historically branches are seen as transaction channels. Today, this view of branches has changed and continues to evolve. Members and potential members like the convenience of brick and mortar, they like the demonstration of financial strength and security. Still, the truth is, they rely less on branches for their daily, weekly, and monthly transaction business…
Read More5 Reasons to Redefine Leadership
Too often, leadership is seen as the job of the chosen few and dictated by the org chart. Let’s move past this arcane concept and change our paradigm. Leadership isn’t for the few; leadership is for the masses. Here is why I know this to be true: Marine Corps boot camp taught me that when…
Read MoreLeadership, a Journey Without End
The common denominators of respected leaders are they never stop learning, and they never stop teaching. Leadership takes a significant commitment to the journey of others. It is fraught with setbacks, mistakes, tough decisions, and pride. The unwavering leadership commitment is to help others take risks, make mistakes, do things wrong, and from all that…
Read MoreIs There a Place for a Humble Leader?
Some lead with ego, and some lead with humility. Which are the most successful leaders? Let’s look at history. Leading with ego, we all have a list that jumps to mind because you’ve probably known or worked for these leaders. I immediately think of Ken Lay of ENRON fame and Joe Nacchio of USWest, leaders…
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