If I asked you to draw me a picture of a leader, you might pull together a confident and commanding CEO running a meeting, a press conference, or a standup with a group of people. Leaders tend to stand out for how they carry themselves, what they wear, and certainly...
I had the delightful opportunity to chat with Kelly Plawinski, the COO and EOS Integrator at Adamy Valuation. Adamy is a financial services firm based out of Grand Rapids MI that serves business owners, legal experts,...
Wisdom comes in many forms. I look for opportunities to be in the room with people that are telling their story so I can listen to their words and feel their presence. The Book of Joy transported me into a room with two leaders worth listening to as they celebrated their friendship and reflected on topics I believe are critical to people at this point in our history. Not just for leaders, but for anyone who is looking to lead in their own life, regardless of their title or place.
Sometimes it is time to slow down and listen. Here is a tip for successfully completing a long journey – and all leaders should listen.
Failure is painful, and yet a key part of the ‘entrepreneurial mindset’. This hit me as I tried to read a book from a speaker that gave me one of my favorite TED talks, Sherry Turkle. The book was not good in my opinion, and it reminded me of watching teams/leaders process failure. Here is one step you can take as a leader to see how your team processes failure – which will tell you how you lead through mistakes and failures.
The passion of the artist. Where does it fit in the performance equation and how do we find it? Here is the where, and a little bit of the how, but the how is a much bigger conversation. Here are four beliefs about passion and a few tips to shift your perspective about how to seek it.
I connect students to parents and grandparents. What do I do? When there is a purpose, cause, passion around our work – it looks different. Leaders who have it lead differently.
In a recent Inc. editorial, advice from Alan Mulally (past CEO of Ford and Boeing) was direct and simple – It’s not about you. It is all about the plan. The biggest trap for leaders is EGO, and Mulally gives some simple advice for battling that in how you lead and in the culture you create. Inc. Magazine is a must read for leaders in my opinion, and here is a great excerpt to share with others at your next leadership meeting.
Captain John Meier understands that great conversations start with a question. He also knows that to serve first as a leader one must seek answers and input first. Of course, he commands an aircraft carrier, so he has some experience leading. Here are two tips he shared to move an intent to serve to an ACTION that your team will see and feel.
Talent management is about great conversations. Sometimes it starts with a conversation with ourselves. Here are two videos that evoked a conversation within me – one on Slomo and the other on Alex Zanardi. They are not corporate titans, but men who faced a fork in the road and chose a path. Very different people, but both reminded me of the piece of mind that results when we own our choices. Great lessons for individuals facing decisions around career or professional development. Remember, do what you love.
Building a culture and developing leaders are two big conversations. A new book by Rich Sheridan does a great job telling one story and helping people understand where they should start. Great conversations start with a question – and the best conversations are honest, lead to thoughful actions, and ultimately improve performance. Rich Sheridan has a great story and I recommend it to leaders who want to build a better culture.
Leadership is about having honest conversations. The skill of being able to handle difficult conversations (conflict, differing opinions, accountability) is one of the most critical skills for a leader. Fierce Conversations and Crucial Conversations are great books, and here is another offering – a video by Ash Beckham. Talent management is about great conversations, this will help you have more of them.