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Leaders-Eat-Last

Leadership Biology 201

Why Invest 46 Minutes Watching A Video Monolog?

If it’s” Why Guy”, Simon Sinek, it’s a worthy investment. And with any good investment, you should expect a reasonable return. I guarantee you will find value in what Simon says in his new message: Leaders Eat Last.

transparency

Transparency: Your Path to Personal Power

We are now hearing the word “transparency” as an essential attribute of management style. Is it possible that transparent leaders have become one of the silent prerequisites for efficient organizations?

Achievement

You Gotta Believe

In the words of Henry Ford: “Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”

Decision

Clarifying Coaching Confidentiality

Once upon a time there was a highly talented, high level executive with an advancement opportunity at his publicly traded company named “Bob”. Bob’s company had a pending vacancy in the CEO position. A member of the Board approached Bob and said:

“I believe that you should be a candidate for the CEO position. The company has hired an executive coach to help prepare you for this possibility.”

Smart Phone

Smart Phones, Dumb People

All the functionality we gain from our smart phones comes at a price. We used to talk about the weather. Now we just refer to our weather app. In some households, the best way to call the family to the dinner table is with a group text. In my immediate family of four, two of us have caused car crashes while using their phones. Has your family fared better or worse?

Executive Chair

Come In and Have a Seat in My Chair

We all know the concept of walking a mile in another person’s shoes. It’s about gaining another person’s unique perspective. As you seek to gain buy-in from others, it would be easier if they could walk a mile in your shoes. Since that’s an impractical figure-of-speech, here’s a short-cut tactic that can lead to similar perspective enhancement with those you lead.

Starfish

The Starfish Story

Purpose is one of three critical components for personal drive. Any of us can get through life without a clear sense of purpose. If you’re willing to settle for just getting by is OK, read no further. Or, if you’d prefer to experience days with more meaning, fulfillment and perhaps, here’s some food for thought.

Road Ahead

Choosing The Road Less Traveled

In our daily travels, we all have fork-in-the-road moments. Some are large. Some small. We can go with the flow. Or, take a more challenging new route. How do you decide?

Magic Lantern

Your Magic Lantern Awaits

As we progress to adulthood, we abandon our dreams of finding a magic lamp and Genie. After all, pursuing impossible dreams is a futile activity. So we suppress our desire to dream. While it’s healthy to suppress our expectations for an all-serving and powerful Genie to appear. It’s not healthy to abandon our desire to dream and make wishes. Isn’t that really about abandoning hope?

Monkeys in Tree

More Fun than a Tree Full of Monkeys

“An organization is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. Some monkeys are climbing up, some down. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see…”

Stuck SF

Where Are You Stuck?

Now there’s a leading question! It’s NOT weather related. Rather, it’s a query that explores where your progress is stalled. If you really consider your answer, it’s empowering.

Dog & Cat

Just for Fun: What if Your Pet Could Talk?

Introducing: a Pet Personality Assessment. Like individual people, animals have their own communication style. Learn about your pet’s style. For fun and enjoyment, TTI Success Insights has studied pet behaviors and created a way to answer the question…
“What if Your Pet Could Talk?”

Slow Warning Sign

Fast is Slow. Slow is Fast.

Whether you’re selling products, services or ideas, your success depends on your ability to lead and influence the actions of others. That ability requires a sense of timing. In the words of the late sales guru and author, Bill Brooks:
“People buy when they’re ready to buy. Not when you need to make a sale.”

Expletive

We Stopped Calling Them “Goals”

In a recent panel discussion, Tom Warsop, CEO at The Warranty Group shared that he deemed it necessary to stop using the word “goal”. It was a word that didn’t work in his organization. Here’s how and why he changed things.

Love Your Customers

The Customer Is NOT Always Right

How often do we see companies who live by the noble creed: The Customer is ALWAYS right? Is it possible that this approach could be self-defeating by ultimately damaging the commitment of the very customer service people who they hope to inspire?

Business Suit

Dressing For Executive Success

We all know the old saying: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” If it were true that people don’t make snap judgements based on appearances, we would see some very bland book covers. The fact is, we all do it with both books and people.

Butterfly

Goal Achievement and The Butterfly

The butterfly offers us an invaluable lesson in determination, discipline and persistence. You can put it to use immediately on your most challenging goals.

Coach Nick Saban

Team Chemistry Lesson from Nick Saban

Coach Nick SabanLike most sports fans, I like to cheer for the underdog. Despite that, I reluctantly choose to view the recent 60 Minutes feature on Football Coach Nick Saban of Alabama, the most dominant program in college football today. I previously viewed him as a dishonest mercenary millionaire who succeeds in the inherently dirty business of major college sports recruiting. But I try to keep an open mind. Is it possible to learn from someone who gets results in a very competitive business where success depends on (mostly) unpaid, young student-athletes?

Curly

Leaders Are Human Too

I always encourage comments to my posts. I’ve received these through this site, via email and personally. 98% of the comments are positive. I occasionally blog about examples of leaders who have achieved at a high level and explore their circumstances. These have triggered comments from readers who have issues with my choice of examples.

Curley

Curly The Trail Boss and the Secret to Life

Happiness and Pursuit of Purpose:

I believe that self-leadership is a prerequisite for formal leadership. If you don’t have your own house in order, gaining devoted followers is a challenge. So, here’s a brief lesson in self-leadership inspired by our founding fathers and Curly The Trail Boss.

Rpses-cc350

When Do You Stop to Smell the Roses?

In a month when we celebrate Thanksgiving, I believe it’s important to seize opportunities to reflect on our personal fulfillment. So allow me to lead by example. I’m proud to share that this month marks two significant anniversaries. One is personal. The other is professional/business.

Agree icon

Your Ideas: Are They Rented or Owned?

When was the last time you washed your rental car?
If you have EVER washed your rental car, you might be the first. Nobody does it. I’m not talking about you 3-year leased car, but your 3-day rental.

Dance Leader

Finding Your First Follower

A leader without followers is like a car without an engine. This music festival video gives us a real-life example of how a dancing “nut” was transformed into the leader of a movement. But it had no chance to become a movement until he gained his first follower.

Enterprise

Emotions: The Final Frontier

Gene Roddenbery’s entertainment enterprise, Star Trek, allowed us to imagine exploring distant galaxies. It also helped us to explore the role of emotions in human decision making.

Good To Great Cover

Is Greatness Overrated?

At the end of the day, the quarter, the year or the decade, success is best measured by a company’s ability to get and keep customers. If you promise them greatness, they need to believe that promise; both now and in the future.

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