Hope is powerful but don’t let it become an embalming agent. Get moving.
Hope isn't a strategy. Action IS!For most of us, this is the time of the year when hope springs eternal. We’re revved up for an exciting new year, determined to…
Leadership Lessons: Wild & Crazy Guys or Masters of our Domain?
What Does It Take to be a Great Leader?
Nothing in life travels in a neat formation accompanied by bugles and cavalry.
A lot of it shows up filthy and unkempt, prominent in the mess we’ve made around our foxhole.
These lessons are typically the offspring of hubris, naivete and ignorance … or from overlooking the land mines hidden beneath our feet.
We’re sharing valuable and practical leadership tips and tools to help you BECOME a better leader.
First, you must start BEING a better leader … implementing NOW the changes necessary to adopt the proven strategies of successful leaders. You might start by building on the communication matrix and making sure you’re defending the castle to get done what only you can do. Make some time so you’re thinking past today.
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“I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures.”
~ Justice Earl Warren
Get in the game. Enjoy the Ride.
The week just ended is my favorite sports week of the year. Some of you will say, “Nah, you got your calendar mixed up. Baseball season opened the previous week.”
Of course, I could say, “but the home opener for the Giants was that week” and then you’d say, “OK, so you’re a big Giants fan. I get it.”
A few of you may suspect that’s not the reason. Not that I don’t love the World Champion San Francisco Giants and all … but honestly? That didn’t even occur to me as I braced for the greatest sports week of the year.
What’s not to like?
There are a lot of reasons why I love the week that just ended. (more…)
The Spotlight of Leadership: Where are you standing?
The Spotlight of Leadership
Experienced leaders know that they are standing in the Spotlight of Leadership all the time. I’ll tell you about a video you should watch just below.
Have you read any of the news stories and interviews recently with General Stanley McChrystal, whose new book is coming out now, My Share of the Task?
You’ll recall he is the four-star general whose resignation was precipitated by a Rolling Stone article which disclosed some unsavory remarks about the President’s executive team.
What is McChrystal’s response?
The reporter was given broad access to McChrystal and his staff, with few conditions, to see how the general and his leadership team worked together.
You can read the candid response from General McChrystal about this incident here. (more…)
Leadership Insights | The Prizefighter & The Preacher
I've written several columns about Mom, but what about Dad? Dads never get any credit, yet they offer unique insights into the world and how we should live.
Leadership Insight | Lessons learned from my 94-year-old mom
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
~ Winston Churchill
Yes, I know Mom doesn’t look 94. (Full Disclosure: This picture was taken when she was 92. 😛 ) Why do you think I don’t like to stand next to her among strangers? She looks so young they may think we’re the same age. That’s not possible, of course, but do they know that?
Patience, Perspective & Preparation
In our infancy, mom and dad made sure that our clothes were clean, that we were fed, that we got our vaccinations and regular checkups. They made sure our clothes were mended, our beds were made and we were as safe as possible.
Some 40 … maybe 50 years later, it’s our turn. We make sure our parents have clean clothes and linens, that they get to their doctors’ appointments and take their medications according to schedule. We make sure they’re safe and nourished and we visit regularly.
When this cycle makes its turn, we are reminded of life’s fragility as well as our own mortality, aren’t we? (more…)