Just Say No. What’s the most important tool available to every leader? It’s not experience or personality. It can be used effectively in any size company and in any competitive environment. It’s incredibly simple to learn yet almost no one uses it. It’s called focus. Did you know that, for … [Read more...] about Just Say No
WHY OVERCOMPLICATE DECISIONS? A nonprofit that provides important services to the local community has everything going for it: trust from the community, committed leadership, talented staff, a large pool of volunteers, and support from local business. It also delivers measurable, meaningful … [Read more...] about Why Overcomplicate Decisions?
WHO'S DOING YOUR JOB What's wrong with this picture? It's actually very common. We see it every week this time of year — a talented football coach with a creative offensive mind thinking deeply about the perfect play to call in a particular situation. However, while his head is down buried … [Read more...] about Who’s Doing Your Job
FILTERS KILL INNOVATION It’s incredible to think about all the stimuli your senses receive every day — the sights, sounds, smells, and touches that you encounter trigger synapses throughout your mind. However, the brain is wired to selectively filter stimuli to preserve its energy, since it … [Read more...] about Filters Kill Innovation
EVOLVE YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH STORIES When were you last moved by a story? And why were you moved? Think about the last movie you watched or book you read. The power of personal narrative and storytelling is an untapped skill in many organizations. In my career at Harvard Business Publishing, I … [Read more...] about Evolve Your Leadership With Stories
LEADERS GET PRACTICAL. PERIOD. Look, let’s be honest. Your learning strategies can be the most thoughtful, most theoretically watertight ideas ever created. But if they don’t lead to practical, meaningful business results, who cares? That’s why you often see CEOs getting their hands … [Read more...] about Program Practicality
GREAT LEADERS MASTER THEIR EMOTIONS Peter Salovey and John Mayer were the first to define the modern concept of emotional intelligence: Emotional Intelligence noun emo·tion·al in·tel·li·gence | \ i-‘mo-shnel in-‘te-le-jen(t)s \ The ability to monitor one’s feelings and emotions, to … [Read more...] about Great Leaders Master Their Emotions
BUILD GENERALISTS TO WIN. There’s incredible energy right now around the topic of data and data analytics. Schools are falling all over themselves to offer degrees and certificates in data science. No one wants to be left behind. Is this really the path to enduring success for businesses and … [Read more...] about Build Generalists to Win
HANDWRITTEN NOTES In today’s technology obsessed world, the simple handwritten note is more powerful than ever. A couple of years ago, I was standing in the back of a breakout session at a major corporate convention. There were about 300 people in the room from dozens of different companies … [Read more...] about Handwritten Notes
HOW ARE YOUINVESTINGIN YOU? Time Management has turned into a very large business. A search on Amazon reveals more than 30,000 entries. There are thousands of consultants, special time tracking software solutions, and even a “Productivity Institute” dedicated to delivering high quality seminars … [Read more...] about How Are You Investing In You?
IT'S NOTABOUT YOU! A few years ago, I was in Manhattan for an early morning meeting with the CEO of a major financial services organization. We were in the elevator alone on the way to his office on the 44th floor. At one point, the doors opened and a young woman entered the elevator. She … [Read more...] about It’s Not About You!
INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE:A LEADERSHIPASSETOR LIABILITY? Every week, we read about an industry veteran who has been promoted to run the business they have served for many years. It’s a perfectly logical and comfortable decision. Analysts and shareholders typically applaud. The candidates always … [Read more...] about Industry Knowledge: A Leadership Asset or Liability?
THE ALLUREOFEXPERIENCE For many years, we have conducted a simple activity to illustrate the bias that causes us to put too much emphasis on experience when selecting leaders. We start by asking participants to develop a simple equation for effective leadership. The results are pretty … [Read more...] about The Allure of Experience
YOU CAN'T AUTOMATELEADERSHIP Developing Leaders in the Digital Age In today’s world, people seem to think technology will solve everything. Our businesses are certainly undergoing massive technological transformation. But the truth is that technology, like science, is merely a tool — and a … [Read more...] about eBook: You Can’t Automate Leadership
