Can We Teach Leaders Humility? (Spoiler: Yes, and Here’s How)
Teaching Humility to the Brilliant and Bold If you’ve ever worked with a super-smart, results-driven leader who just can’t figure out why their team won’t follow them with gusto, you’ve likely bumped into the confidence minus humility trap. They know their stuff. They...
Powerful Presentations: Teaching Your Team To Talk Strategy
Practice is the Secret to More Impactful Presentations A “stand and deliver” presentation on your results is always nerve-wracking. But you know what’s even more painful? Watching a direct report flounder as they struggle to give a powerful...
Frontline Festival: A Leadership Carnival for Frontline Leaders
I am delighted and humbled by the response to the Frontline Festival. I asked my friends and colleagues to share their best advice for frontline leaders. Wow! Read these posts and you will emerge stronger. Perhaps read one a day, you’ve got enough for a month. I...
How to Break the 80 20 Rule: Getting Past Pareto For Better Results
According to the 80 20 Rule, 20% of your team is carrying 80% of the load. If that’s the case, 80% could do substantially more. If you’re like many managers I meet, you might be tempted to throw up your hands and accept the Pareto Principle as a given....
The Tension Connection
Tight shoulders. Strained relationships. Visions not yet achieved. Public disclosure of private struggle. Tension is exhausting unless it’s invigorating. What’s A Tension Map? After reading Steven Snyder’s new book, Leadership and the Art of...
The Power of Great Expectations
It was March over a decade ago. I had just finished singing Amazing Grace and was headed down from the choir loft back to my pew. My Dad began the eulogy for my Grandma, who had died that week. He looked at his brothers and sisters in the first row and said, “I...
Let’s Grow Leaders as Shared In Other Growing Scenes (a Sunday Supplement)
As a “growing” leader I am always inspired by the work of other leaders and thinkers. The online community stretches me beyond my own experiences and thinking. I engage in several leadership tribes and bring their thoughts and challenges back to you and...
Leadership Traits That Clearly Inspire Confidence
You’ve got good people on the team, but they lack confidence. Which leadership traits should you rely on? You’ve worked hard to build a strong repertoire of leadership skills. How do you know which ones to use in this situation? How can you best build up...
