Category: Blog

The Spartans believed in two (mental) rooms you must not enter in battle - fear and anger. Fear makes you a coward, anger makes you a fool. In stressful situations do you tend toward cowardice (avoid the discussion, soft pedal the truth) or the foolishness that comes from anger (brash, headstrong, unwilling to listen to … Continue reading Fear and Anger

The best leaders are built to serve. This requires nerve. Normal leaders are built for power, prestige, and prominence. This requires an attachement to being liked, popular, and giving people (the perception) of being served. Normal leaders, yes, are master manipulators.  The best leaders offer truth, seek truth, and accept the consequences that come with … Continue reading Built to serve…

Feedback is the breakfast of champions. No news is NOT good news. Studies show that people interpret no feedback about the same as negative feedback. Not good. Our brain overvalues risk, remember? Stop assuming others know where they stand or how you evaluate their performance. Tell them. Often. Good and bad. Feedback is necessary for … Continue reading Feedback

Five years ago this morning, I was alive and on Heaven’s door. I’m reposting the story for those that don’t know and for those that do. Let’s this serve as a reminder to take nothing for granted. Life is a gift. Enjoy the present. It’s meant to be bitter and sweet - poison and wine. … Continue reading Alive and gone to Heaven…

We tend to be a sucker for articulate leaders. Nothing inherently wrong with leaders who have mastered the art of speaking well. Remember this truth. Well done > well said. Focus, leader, on being someone worthy of hearing the words, well done. History remembers what you did more than what you said. Aristotle was right - … Continue reading Well, well, well…

A client of mine sensed something was off with one of his teammates. Heading down the wrong path. So, he caught his teammate in the hallways and asked a simple question. "How you doing?" Teammate response was typical. "I'm great." So, the leader asked again. "How you really doing?" The response was slightly different - … Continue reading Mine for this…

Rather than “what’s rewarded gets done," operate under “what’s rewarding gets done.” In other words, extrinsic rewards are not the best drivers of performance. Research shows this to be true. Intrinsic rewards on the other hand...gold mine. Challenge with purpose. Connect the work to meaning. If you want people’s best work, tie it to meaning … Continue reading What’s rewarding?

David L. Cook, in his materpiece titled Greatness, describes the volitional continuum brilliantly. This is great leadership learning for you and your teams. Volition, by definition is the power or faculty of choosing; the will.  We'll go from worst to first. The parentheses are my extrapolation, for what it's worth... I won't. (No will) I can't. (Incapable will) … Continue reading Volitional…