(I am interpreting, fairly I hope, an incident that happened this past Thursday night. For insight from one of the principals, you can watch a Detroit Free Press interview here.) It usually starts bad. Often, really bad. Like this past Thursday: Two guys come up behind my friend as he’s walking towards his door. We’re … Continued
Last week I shared the research on the huge gap that lies between the frequency of ideal and typical coaching. What your feedback on my survey showed was that most of us would like informal feedback once a week or at least every other week, while the highest percentage of people said that their “worst manager” and … Continued
Shouldn’t every college graduate take a course in managing and coaching people? I know my wife and I with our fancy-shmancy bachelors AND graduate degrees never received formal training. Instead, we learned like so many people, on the job. Most of that was by osmosis from mostly average experiences. No slight is intended, as few … Continued
Thank you to the 231 of you who weighed in on my survey on complaining last week! I am afraid I botched the design a little,* but the core data remains fascinating: People who responded guesstimated that they complain between 14 and 18 times a day. My inquiry was fueled by two essential leadership truths … Continued
The practitioners of “emotionally intelligent leadership” agree that self-awareness is a cornerstone skill to develop. I offer today’s experimental Reading for Leading with the intent of helping you raise your self awareness. I have a question, then a challenge. I’m hoping that tomorrow (when I send you a link), at least 500 people will weigh-in … Continued
Trust is the KILLER APP. A new client retained me last week. I told him I’d write up the agreement and pricing if he wanted it, but I didn’t need it. He could dump me at any time, and I’d fix to his liking any issue regarding payments. He was fine with that and said … Continued
I’m coming to the end of 14 years of writing Reading for Leading on a weekly basis. So: Thanks!!!! Thanks for reading (and perhaps commenting once in a while). I’m a Myers-Briggs “F” for “feeler,” so for me it’s all about relationship. Where some people, gratefully, think about the problems, the structure and systems and data, … Continued
I was with a client last week and they repeatedly used the word “under-resourced.” If you’re not Google or Twitter, that statement probably applies to you, right? We’re all stretched thin in these days of do-more-with-less. Yet I’ve been blessed by raining-down resources, and perhaps there is relevance for others in the nature of the … Continued
Lord, it would be funny if it weren’t so crazy. How do we nurture everyday leaders? Better start here: Realize it’s a 24-7 job to push back. Cuz if you’re a parent, teacher, CEO, preacher, boss or head of just about anything, they’re going to expect you to take care of just about everything. … Continued
RFL Two weeks ago: really examine yourself before you start correcting someone else. RFL Last week: there is no reality, so “get” their reality. Their reality – their perceptions, recollections, evaluations — are completely independent of yours. Their view need not threaten you. Just GET IT and then many problems will go away. Now: You … Continued