Benjamin Franklin is generally the cited source of the quote, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” We can be certain, however, that Franklin was not the progenitor of the famous quote, further lending truth to it. But, as we know, people have devised ways to cheat taxes [...]
I was recently invited to give some brief remarks at a local, regional economic development meeting. My client, the CEO of the organization that organized the event, exemplifies competent leadership on many levels. It was obvious to me that I could draw a distinct parallel between her performance and another of my heroes, Grace Hopper. [...]
My first experience with the concept of leadership was playing “follow the leader” in kindergarten. Already well-acquainted with authority, I understood the requirement to obey my parents, other adult relatives, neighbors, teachers, and babysitters. I knew about authority figures like the police with their uniforms, badges, and guns, and I had some notion of the [...]
Peter F. Drucker wryly noted that the only requirement for being a leader is to have at least one follower. Drucker, whose observations, insights, and perspective on management theory have shaped the modern business landscape, clearly knew something about leadership. However, rather than focus on the leader's or persons' qualities, his guidance was aimed at [...]
For almost twenty years, I have helped executives develop the leadership skills they and their organizations need. I have learned that leadership is hard: It's challenging to learn, difficult to implement effectively, and impossible to teach. Through years of observing how people approach leadership, studying why some people are successful, and make it look [...]
Organizational decision-making is the necessary and complex balancing of alignment and disagreement. That is particularly true for critical issues that business leaders routinely face. You need people aligned around an organization's core purpose so they will act to its benefit. And you need a rigorous assessment of different and even opposing ideas to draw out [...]
Mostly, thinking is like breathing. Thoughts enter and leave my mind without much effort. But when I’m feeling excited, anxious, or fearful, my mind races, accelerating my thinking to the point of becoming overwhelmed. Other times, my thinking becomes labored as I struggle to find ideas, solutions, or the right words to say. But thinking [...]
I recently heard a radio spot promising, ‘The Joy of Certainty.” The commercial promoted the services of a company offering psychic readings. I understand why certainty seems appealing to people. However, it is clear why people do not find the comfort they seek. Certainty is not the answer. Reflecting on the thousands of hours I [...]
For nearly twenty years, I have been a coach to scores of CEOs and an invited speaker for international business leaders. I have seen that most business leaders overlook a crucial leadership imperative critical to their effectiveness and their organization's success. It's not that the concept is difficult or confusing. It may be elusive because [...]
Do you spend more of your time on problems or opportunities? How you think about the challenges you face informs how you behave and your performance. Most of my clients, and people in general, struggle with apprehension, procrastination, and some level of anxiety over what they perceive as problems and welcome the challenges that [...]
