Artificial Leadership

Have you tried it yet – ChatGPT? Or Google Bard or Jasper? How about YouChat? Adoption of this new technology has been widespread and instant. The term ‘Artificial Intelligence’ is becoming so ubiquitous, that we risk not breaking those two words down and remembering the significance of the adjective – ‘Artificial.’ It has prompted me […]

Three Lessons from Ranger School

Good Thursday morning! I have missed writing to you. My time has been devoted to a number of other areas . . . on top of a full coaching schedule. More about one of these other projects in a moment. – – – – – – – – – – First things first! I recently had […]

Stop & Go

Over the last eight months, I’ve been writing periodically about character and leadership. Why is character so important in leaders? Because character is what leads you when you have to lead yourself. You can read the introduction to the character series here. Today we look at that internal guidance mechanism known as self-discipline. ************************************************************************************** This […]

The X-Factor of Great Leadership

Character is a critical ingredient in your leadership. It influences your thoughts, feelings and actions. Be intentional with it. This week’s blog is the second in an occasional series on character.   Click here to read the first installment. Last year, the CEO of Procter and Gamble, one of the world’s largest consumer product companies, did something surprising. […]

Arnold Palmer: More Than A Great Golfer

A few weeks ago, we learned that thousands of Wells Fargo employees had opened fraudulent accounts to meet the bank’s “cross-selling” goals. The story was jaw-dropping. 5 years? 5,000 employees? Over 2 million sham accounts? Really? During that entire stretch of time, no Wells Fargo leader (who still works there!) ever paused to say, “Hey, […]

Spieth’s Incredible Comeback

Leaders blow it—sometimes to the point of embarrassing themselves. Some examples of leadership “fails” I’ve either witnessed or heard about: • A CEO loses his temper and shouts at a colleague in the middle of a nice dinner at an upscale restaurant with spouses at the table. • A Sales VP, embarrassed by poor quarterly […]

Leaders and the Illusion of Reputation

“It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who’s been swimming naked.” — Warren Buffett He was considered a legend in his industry.  Wealthy individuals from around the country asked if they could be his clients; many were turned away.  Past chairman of the NASDAQ.  Former board of governors member of the National […]

Leaders in the Face of Fear

“Fear, like joy or curiosity, is contagious among beasts and birds, as it is among men . . . . Animals are afraid on general principles.  Anything new and strange excites their suspicions.  In a herd of animals, cattle or horses, fear quickly becomes a panic and rages like a conflagration.  Cattle men in the […]

Where Leaders Go for Guidance

A CEO in New York shared a conundrum with me a few weeks ago. It involved money – the CEO’s compensation, to be specific.
A member of the Board had approached him with a request. A major portion of this Leader’s compensation for the year would come in the form of a stock bonus tied to hitting annual budget targets. At the mid-year mark, it was clear to the Board that the company would not hit the targets. The Board wanted to reward the CEO with the bonus anyway, and they were asking him to provide new (i.e. ‘lower’) targets that he and the company would be sure to hit. The request did not sit well with the CEO.
What guides your significant leadership decisions?

When and Where Leaders Listen

There’s an article titled “Uncovering the Blind Spot of Leadership” in the latest issue of Leader to Leader magazine. Author C. Otto Scharmer writes about four different modes of listening for Leaders. I’ve provided excerpts below.
Those of you who have heard me speak know that I often frame the Leader in four dimensions – Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual. Along with Scharmer’s thoughts, I have added my own in the context of which dimensions a Leader listens from . . . .
Think about conversations you’ve already had today.