Ah, summer. Relaxing warm evenings, vacation with kids, low stress activities that recharge the batteries. Yeah right! Most everyone I talk to is so busy they barely have time to think. Many companies are in the mid-year push. Those that work in government or government related companies are realizing that… Read More »Take the Time to Save the Time
Politics provide an interesting show. Like a multi-act play, there are heroes and villains, plot twists and surprises. Everyone in the audience sees the show a little differently and when it’s all over, everyone applauds and returns to their normal lives, though some stay to watch the repeat performance which… Read More »Leadership Lessons from the Political Follies
In 1901, most people believed that man would never fly. Wilbur Wright, who had already begun investigations into heavier-than-air flight with his brother Orville, thought that the achievement could be as much as fifty years in the future. Yet, on December 17, 1903, just two years later, he and Orville… Read More »The Wright Way to Collaborate
Jigsaw puzzles can be difficult. There are many pieces, each a little different then the next. It’s obvious where a few of the pieces fit, but for many their part of the bigger picture is hard to see. Occasionally, a guess is correct, but usually it takes some trial and… Read More »How Teams Are Like Jigsaw Puzzles – And How They Aren’t
There are very few leaders who don’t have a boss and sometimes it’s helpful to lead your boss as well as your team. Isn’t it a little presumptuous to think you can lead your boss? Not if you approach it as an effort to help you both succeed. You want… Read More »Lead Up: The Secrets to Leading Your Boss
“You don’t understand; I can’t do this leadership stuff with my team; they don’t report to me!†I’ve heard variations of this statement on a regular basis from students coming into our leadership courses. Sometimes it has to do with particular aspects of leading, such as coaching or accountability, while… Read More »Leading Without Authority, You Can Do It!
“I want to have more influence beyond just my small team.” The client was a little hesitant to say that, fearing it would sound arrogant or maybe power hungry. To the contrary, influential business leaders are more effective in leading their teams because they have impact outside their own sphere… Read More »How to be an Influential Business Leader
You’ve just moved to a new position, or perhaps a new boss has just come on board. The change, no matter how smooth the transition, is disruptive. A critical step in leadership development is establishing a good relationship with your boss. You want the new boss to understand how you… Read More »New Boss? Here’s What to Do
I recently saw two separate and contradictory articles about goals. The first suggested that goal setting was an artifact of management by objective and was no longer necessary in today’s business world. The other encouraged leaders to set “stretch goals” for their teams; goals for which the leader is willing… Read More »Why Stretch Goals Aren’t Effective
The national cemetery at the United States Air Force Academy sits not too far from where I live. As Memorial Day weekend approaches, I was thinking about former comrades I know that now lie in rest there and elsewhere; individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice while in service to their country.… Read More »Memorial Day Wishes