Name: Bob Mason
Date registered: April 15, 2013
URL: http://www.planleadexcel.com
Apr 07 2014
Shortly after arriving in the new organization, I asked why we were doing certain tasks that didn’t seem to make sense. This was my first job as an airplane mechanic. I was very young and quite impressionable. I was also quite curious. So I was disappointed when another mechanic told me not to …
Mar 26 2014
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What do you consider success? How do you know if you’ve reached that point? I include this in those things a leader should know about themselves because I’ve found it’s important. Some leaders never stop to think about what success really is. Take a piece of paper and write at the top, “Succes …
Mar 21 2014
Language evolves and words take on new meanings over time. For example, in modern times the phrase “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” from the U.S. Declaration of Independence is interpreted as a right to a state of joy. That isn’t what the authors meant. In the 18th century, the word happiness …
Mar 19 2014
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Think about someone you don’t like. Why don’t you like them? Now, consider someone who can really make you mad. What is it that they do that fires your temper? As my psychology professor once said, we all have buttons. The question is, how do we manage those buttons. Do we wear them …
Mar 17 2014
When Donald Rumsfeld was Secretary of Defense he was famous for a piece of paper called a “snowflake.” A snowflake could be just about anything the secretary wanted to communicate. Since I didn’t directly work for the secretary I only occasionally saw a real snowflake. I did see what happens when someone thinks …
Mar 12 2014
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What are you really good at? Be honest and put away the humility for a moment. Take a piece of paper and write two or three things you are really good at. For this exercise, try to keep it related to your leadership responsibilities. Maybe you’re good at speaking to people. Perhaps you’re …
Mar 07 2014
She was about 16 years old and stood behind the lectern with noticeable trepidation. She overcame her nerves though and delivered the speech. It was short and to the point, unfortunately too short, but it left me with an interesting point to ponder. The speech was part of a youth organization contest for …
Mar 05 2014
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There’s a common misconception that you’ve probably heard quite often. “That person doesn’t have any values.” That’s wrong. Everyone has values. They are an internal force that tends to control our actions. When I work with groups creating strategic plans we do a short exercise to identify values and I find that most …
Mar 03 2014
Send to Kindle Did you know that smallpox is a possible weapon in the fight against cancer? I didn’t. Why would I? I’m not in the medical research field. But, I am interested in new technology and like everyone else, I’m just a little concerned about cancer. What’s does this have to do with leadership? …
Feb 26 2014
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When dealing with problem employees, you may not consider the ladder climber. You should because this person can cause a lot of trouble. You’ve probably run across this person before. They will do anything in order to reach the next rung on the corporate ladder. They can be of any age or experience …
