When I first heard someone talk about values, I thought they were talking about things like “don’t steal” or “treat others the way you want to be treated.” I learned that values are the underlying aspirations and intentions we have for and about ourselves. A value could be a thirst for learning, a strong desire…
Last week, one of my executive coaching clients was noticeably frustrated. His firm had just released a new product that his company leaders believe has the potential to become a real game changer. Development time lines have been aggressive and productive. A company-wide, cross-functional team has created major innovations in the product itself, along with new…
I just arrived back from beautiful Fujairah—one of the northernmost emirates in the UAE—where we held the final module of six in a 15-month leadership development curriculum for a global technology company. The total program included modules around personality, values, organization vision and alignment, leadership style, high performing teams, change management, and motivation—the gamut. This…
Here’s a little game for you. Finish the following phases: “Do unto others as you would have _____ ___ _____ ____.” (Yes, the Golden Rule) “Beauty is in the eyes of ____ _________.” “If it were me, this is what __ ______ ___.” I trust you were able to complete these very common sayings. While…
My two boys played three different sports during high school and, as it happens, there were times when they needed to visit the athletic trainer because of an injury. If you want a lesson in how to treat your internal customers, come to my boy’s high school and see a pro in action! The Head…
As you look back over your work career, who is the supervisor, manager, or leader that you would identify as your best boss? And more importantly, what was it about them that made them great in your eyes? Take a minute now to identify that person. We’ll use your experience to identify something that will…
Boss watching is a fact of life in many organizations. Frontline employees are more concerned with keeping the boss happy than they are with keeping the customer happy. Leaders can help employees focus in the right direction by taking the mystery out of what people can expect from them as a leader. Employees are always…
An effective team brings together people from different backgrounds and different experiences to work together toward a common goal. Yet most teams do not ever achieve their full potential because team members do not take the time to explore and agree on the team’s purpose, values, and destination. Jesse Lyn Stoner, a leading expert on…
Years ago, business owners were asked, “If you had to choose between a fire that wiped out your facilities versus having all of your people quit and walk out at the same time, which option would you take?” Almost everyone said they’d rather lose their buildings and equipment because to rebuild their human organization would…
So much of leadership advice focuses on what to say and how to act in ways that creates trust, confidence, and followership. And while it is important to understand how certain leader behaviors can be interpreted by others, that should never take the place of authenticity. All of us have a genuine leader inside of…