Having an inspiring vision and well-crafted goals are no guarantee your business will achieve them. It is often the norm to put a vision and goals on the shelf so you can get back to work. This frustrates people, especially if they have been part of the process to craft the vision and define the […]
Regardless of the size, leading an organization is hard work. It is like gardening. You can’t just plant it and forget it and expect to receive a bountiful harvest. If you approach gardening with this mindset, you are in for a big disappointment. Being the leader of an organization and being a gardener have […]
There is confusion about the difference in a plan and a strategy. Plans are useful. Strategies are scary. When you choose a strategy, you are choosing a direction that requires you to make decisions that eliminate possibilities and options. Think crossing the Rubicon. The future outcomes are unknowable. Planning, on the other hand, is knowable […]
Many dwell on the past to prove that they are victims. It is easy to cast blame, for instance, on the economy, colleagues, society, and family for your current situation. There is no shortage of evidence. Looking outside for the rationale or for the solution for your circumstances is common practice. It reminds me of […]
Many business owners work hard from dawn to dusk. This alone does not guarantee success. However, hard work is part of the equation. There is more. In the words of the African spiritual, “Keep your eye on the prize and your hand on the plow.” What is the prize in your business? It feels great […]
When you are focused on safety, your mental energy and attention are distracted from winning. The “not losing” approach to leading fosters contracted visions and fear-based decisions. How many opportunities slip through your fingers? Even in the most challenging business environment, unexpected opportunities emerge. When your attention is on winning, you draw these opportunities to […]
"Yes, but that will never work here because..." is the frequent answer to the thought of making a change or launching an initiative. Mental malaise keeps you and your company stuck. Worse still, you may be unaware of this pervasive way of thinking. The Little Engine That Could focused on how to meet the challenge, […]
"We want it more than they do." Do we want a free and democratic country for the Iraqis more than they want it for themselves? Regardless of your opinion on the merits of the Iraqi War, this is a thought provoking question. Have you ever held a vision for someone or something that you want […]
The old Scottish prayer ”From ghosties and ghoulies and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, good Lord deliver us” is a petition for protection. In our complex world today, mediocrity and status-quo are what go bump in the night. These are the ghosties and ghoulies in today’s world. How recently […]
It takes a long time to build a cathedral. In the middle ages it took hundreds of years and multi generations of masons, plumbers, carpenters, artists and other artisans to complete a cathedral. It took eighty-three years to build our own National Cathedral in Washington, DC…and this in modern times. The architect and craftsmen who […]