It was 3 years after the end of open hostilities of the first Gulf War. The atmosphere was somewhat more relaxed but there was still tension. I was the maintenance officer for a deployed rescue squadron. Coalition aircraft were flying combat missions to enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq and… Read More »Do You Need Ice Cream?
There are many voices around the world that claim it is. What do you think? Is leadership development failing? If you answer yes, then leadership training is probably failing for you. If you answer no, then leadership training is probably not failing for you. Although that may seem overly simple,… Read More »Is Leadership Training Failing
In the last couple of years we’ve been hearing quite a bit about what has been labeled the “great resignation.” It seems like a lot of people don’t want to work anymore. It also seems this is a new post-pandemic phenomenon. It isn’t. In fact according to the Bureau of… Read More »Is This a Cause of the Great Resignation?
It seems that leadership and civility would be an easy discussion. Alas, it is not. Civility is a concept that seems to be lost in today’s society even though it is absolutely essential for good teams. A cultural shift has been happening and now it seems that being civil means… Read More »Leadership and Civility
Do you encourage a feeling of employee ownership in the company? Should you? I was speaking with a group of business owners a few years ago when the discussion swerved into how much they should tell their workers about company financials. The catalyst for this discussion was a complaint by… Read More »Is a Feeling of Employee Ownership Important?
As I scroll through LinkedIn I see lots of pictures of people being recognized for joining a team, some accomplishment, or just being them. Recognition is great and I hope you are recognizing the people on your teams. Recognition is an important part of creating the motivational environment that will… Read More »Recognition: A Picture is Not Enough
You have many challenges as a team leader. Is one of those challenges a boss who doesn’t seem to know what your team is doing? He or she appears to be more of a stumbling block than a helpful leader? Harsh? Perhaps, but let’s be honest, sometimes the boss can… Read More »Help! My Boss is Clueless
I recently saw a video of a “flash mob” orchestra (the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès) in Spain performing Ode to Joy. The performance started with a bass player who was joined shortly by a cellist. As more musicians entered the scene, a conductor appeared. It would almost seem the conductor… Read More »Are You the Conductor? Does Your Team Make Beautiful Music?
As another year draws to a close, many people begin to consider New Year’s Resolutions. Please Don’t! Resolutions are certainly a noble idea, but are often forgotten a few months into the new year. You will be a more effective leader if you use this time to seriously consider a… Read More »Eight Steps for a Successful Next Year
One of the most effective communication skills a leader can have is to stay on message. I was assigned to lead an organization that had various different and largely disparate responsibilities, none of which seemed to have much in common. We were a collection of small groups, but definitely not… Read More »Effective Communication Skills: Stay on Message