When Meetings Waste Your Time
Last week, I sat in on an executive team meeting. I was so bored! Interestingly, I was the only person in the room for whom most of the discussion was brand new. Why was I so bored? Because nothing really happened—for two hours! Sure, there was a lot of talking, a lot of papers passed […]
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 […]
One Cure For Busyness
In my last post, I wrote about the chronic problem of “I’m so busy” leadership. Thanks to all those of you who commented on and shared this post through LinkedIn. This week, I follow up with thoughts on an antidote for leaders’ busyness: delegation. Two months ago, I was in conversation with the president of […]
Leaders Who Are “So Busy”
Last week I was talking with a leader who opened our conversation by saying, “I am…just…so busy.” And he said it in a positive way. He was happy about it. How often do you hear this? How often do you say it yourself? Here’s the question I asked this busy leader: Are you busy on […]
Matt Ryan’s Lesson for Leaders
The Falcons lost in a heartbreaker, but they fielded a great team for a great Super Bowl. Ron Farmer, Atlanta resident and President of Heartland Campus Solutions, wrote this note to his “team” of over 500 on Monday morning. In it, Ron identifies a great takeaway for leaders and teams. He was gracious to let […]
When A Leader Has To Wait
The foundation under every leader is character – good or bad. This is the fourth in an occasional series for leaders who want to be intentional about their character. Click here for the introduction to the series. When is the last time you, as a leader, had to wait for something? Had to slow down? […]
Relaxed Strategizing
Two types of leaders are wrapping up this year. Some leaders are finishing 2016 in roughly the same place they started. They have been busy all through the year, but they have basically done things throughout 2016 much like in previous years. Leading and behaving the way they always have has led to getting roughly the […]
Cultivate Courage
Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, died earlier this year. He wrote the bestseller Only the Paranoid Survive, a book that impacted me as a young leader. Known as brash, but brilliant, Grove was remembered for having courage, that character trait representing a willingness to confront danger or uncertainty. NPR’s tribute to his life highlights […]
Conflict with Another Leader
Two months ago, I was on a chronically delayed flight late at night at Dulles Airport, outside Washington, DC. As I sat in the terminal after de-planing for the second time and waiting to board again, I couldn’t help but notice a young woman in the waiting area who was on the same flight. She […]
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. […]