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 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 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 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 …
Nov 08 2013
Send to Kindle“Born Leader.” Those two words always give me a chill. Two reasons. First, executives tend to look for who they think are, or who appears to be born with some sort of natural leadership talent. What they find are employees who are outgoing (extroverts) and charismatic. What they miss are employees who are …
Oct 30 2013
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One of the most important, but least understood skills for a leader is the ability to solve problems and make good decisions. The two skills are inextricably linked. Unfortunately, there a many experts who would have us believe that problem solving is a very complex procedure requiring special techniques and training. Not so! …
Oct 23 2013
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Leadership is probably one of the most studied subjects ever. There are thousands of books on the subject with more published every year. Most of that information can be boiled down to a few important theories and models. New leaders need not become academics on the subject of leadership. As I said, much …
Oct 16 2013
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How many times have you wished your boss would learn to communicate better? In a leadership position, communication becomes vitally important, both for conveying a message to workers, and passing information to the boss. To be effective, leaders must develop the ability to communicate with their followers, their peers, and their bosses. For …
Oct 15 2013
I spend a lot of time talking and writing about leadership development and I want to provide valuable content that’s relevant to your needs. That means I also need to listen so I’ve created two surveys to help me learn about your issues. If you’re a business owner, CEO, or in another position …
Oct 09 2013
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Too many leaders approach their new position without a clear understanding of who they are. This sounds like some kind of touchy feely psychobabble but it isn’t. Leaders need to know their own strengths and weaknesses, what irritates them and how they react to problems, as well as their own personal values. They …
