When is it good for a business to be boring? To a visionary and a fast starter, running a business with systems can seem boring because it is too predictable. That is no fun. To the fast-paced entrepreneur who likes making quick decisions as the opportunity emerges, making the effort to put operating systems in […]
The prevailing male leadership style of take charge, be decisive and save the day presents a problem for the workplace today. This masculine way of leading represents black or white thinking that leaves a lot of options on the sidelines. Thankfully, this authoritarian leadership style is not as valued as it was at one time. […]
Leadership is at a premium in scary times. Worldwide events in early 2020 demonstrate the importance of strong leadership from the local level to the international stage. For example, Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, has led her country of five million through the coronavirus pandemic with empathy and strength. With so much […]
Communication is the lifeblood of relationships, personal and business. The health of an organization can be measured in how it communicates not only internally but externally. Bad communication habits can be sneaky and costly. It is easy to fall into bad habits without realizing how detrimental they can be. For example, my client told […]
One obvious requirement of business leadership involves the universally respected value of trust. This leads us to the topic of authenticity. Are business leaders today seen as highly rated by their authenticity or are they seen as disingenuous, shallow, self-promoting or even dishonest? Are business leaders trusted? This is a hard problem to quantify. Entire […]
When the pressure is on, we worry. Everyone makes up stuff to some degree. Why allow these stories to occupy such valuable mental real estate? Some of us are more susceptible to worry than others. Regardless of your propensity to ruminate, it is quite expensive. For one thing, it raises your cortisol level which has […]
Ask someone to define leadership and they might say something such as the ability to get others to follow. Can’t argue with that. How do leaders behave? It’s mostly about what you do, not what you say that demonstrates leadership. Having a leadership title is the easy part. The following are five hacks that leaders […]
Entrepreneurs like to get things done quickly. They do not like to waste time because time is money. It is tempting to take a short cut because it seems faster initially. While a short cut works out occasionally, it most often takes longer and costs more. We think fast is better. I heard an Atlanta developer say “patience […]
Are you thwarted by complacency in your organization? It is a common problem especially in successful companies. Complacency is an expensive habit to practice. Resting on your corporate laurels lulls you into a feeling of security that is counterfeit. There are dangers lurking everywhere. Having experienced successes, people relax to enjoy the results of their […]
It is true. Words are free. Underestimating their power is costly. Haven’t we all said something we later regretted? In some cases, we are unaware of the impact of our words for good or ill. Words have power; choose them wisely. Business leaders, for example, unwittingly stymie creative thinking with “Have you thought about this […]