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Assessing Your Job Fit: Make your work your hobby and ride cowboy ride!
October 3, 2017 |
In one of my grandfather’s poems, he wrote, “Make your work your hobby and ride cowboy ride!” It was his way of telling us kids to get a job we’d love so we would never have to work a day in our lives. I’ve gotten to coach over a thousand new, middle and senior executives, […]
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Leaders’ Statements are Promises: Five actions to build your reputation
September 19, 2017 |
Thomas Jefferson said, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” Ralph Waldo Emerson can be credited with the corollary, “Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying.” Your reputation is shaped by your actions, not by your education, not by your good intentions, and not even by your values. People can’t […]
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Mistakes versus Misdeeds: A principle you can grow with
August 28, 2017 |
You might have heard it said that if you’re not making mistakes, you’re probably not trying hard enough, and it’s one of my favorite, difficult topics in leadership! Before we explore this any further, let me be clear that the kinds of errors that I’m addressing are not the kinds of mistakes that literally put […]
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Like a ship’s navigator, leaders need to approximate their position, make a decision, and move on
November 24, 2016 |
I recently interviewed Scott Wallinger (left) for my podcast, an iconic manager and leader in the forestry profession (http://leadershipnature.com/podcasts/s1e13-scott-wallinger/), and Scott reflected on his lessons in leadership through the lenses of history and experience. Near the end of this episode, Scott talked about the tendency of foresters to analyze things until they have the answer […]
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Your Strengths May be Killing Your Career
April 4, 2016 |
It’s true that we all have natural abilities that are important factors in our career success. Some of us are naturals at sales and negotiation, while others are terrific at data analysis. Some managers are detail-oriented planners, while others are gifted at seeing the “big picture.” However, the emphasis on strengths in popular management literature […]
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Make Up Your Mindset: The heart of purposeful leadership
September 24, 2015 |
“Dad, what do you do?” This was the question that Stafford County Administrator Anthony Romanello was asked by his son, a high school senior at the time, and one that would ultimately enlighten and inspire his own father, a veteran executive and respected civic leader. “I’m responsible for day-to-day operations of Stafford County, Virginia, government […]
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Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: What makes a “good” decision?
June 11, 2015 |
As mentioned in Question Traps are Just around the Cubicle, Fox News’ Megyn Kelly started a minor fad last month among political commentators by asking presidential hopeful Jeb Bush if he would have ordered the Iraq invasion “knowing what we know now.” More than a trap question (because it’s hypothetical), the inquiry also implied that […]
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Question Traps are Just Around the Cubicle What every leader needs to know about trap questions
May 28, 2015 |
When Fox News’ Megyn Kelly asked Jeb Bush on May 11, “Knowing what we know now, would you have authorized the invasion (of Iraq)?” she made news, because Bush had anticipated a different question and answered that one, setting off a small firestorm. When he then back peddled to answer the one he was asked, […]
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Dull Blades are Dangerous: The easy but irresponsible practice of promoting unprepared leaders
May 21, 2015 |
One small but important right of passage for every young Boy Scout is earning his Totin’ Chip award. To earn it, a Scout has to learn and demonstrate that he knows how to carry, sharpen and use a knife, axe and saw. It’s a safety program to prevent injury to themselves and others when camping, […]
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Growing Your Leadership at the Edges
April 23, 2015 |
Just as trees grow at the tips and on the edges, so do leaders. And that takes getting out of our comfort zones. You know what it’s like to sign your name with your dominant hand. For most people, doing so is easy and effortless. You don’t have to think about it, because it’s well […]
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