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.
Leadership development in any organization is pretty simple, and here are some thoughts on how any size organization can do it effectively. Hidden secret – If you are a growth focused organization you have a HUGE advantage over your bigger and slower rivals. Another hint – doing this well WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUT in the war for talent. Here are 3 tips in addition to my past trUTips on how to get started.
Leadership is about change management. Here is a story about a coach of a football program rich with tradition, and he was not successful. It had nothing to do with him being a good coach, because he has proven he is a great coach – in the right situations. Getting the most out of your talent and leading effectively is about people-centered leadership. In transition, this is even more important, and here are 4 questions to ask and a proven process for navigating that change.
Colin Powell shared some leadership lessons with me recently and here is one I took away – sometimes as leaders we need to be a buffer. Being a buffer could be protecting your ‘turf’ and it has a possibility to be so much more. It can have huge benefits to your organization if you do it well. It is the leaders job to be a buffer, and here are 3 tips to make it a way to build a healthier organization.
If you want to go fast, go Alone. If you want to go FAR, go together. All leaders, teams, and organizations will hit the ceiling if they Go Alone. It happens, and moving past it is part attitude and part practice. The entrepreneurial operating system (EOS) is a tool I use to help leaders/teams do that, and here are some key steps to starting the journey. Call it team building and leadership development using your business as the classroom.
My goal is to equip leaders to lead more effectively, and development plans are a key part of leadership and general talent development. Here is a LinkedIn article i just published and one other worksheet you might find helpful.
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.
What if we asked more questions? You might be thinking that you do ask more questions, at least compared to the people around you. Here is some research on kids that I believe applies to adults. Do you really think the graph starts going back up AFTER the age of 18? It comes down to being aware of how our EGO gets in the way and committing to asking GREAT questions vs GOOD questions.
Is a performance conversation you are having with your own leader, peer, or direct report laced with adjectives and/or emotions? Too often they are, and it clouds the real issues that need to be talked about. Here are some tips for creating a culture that supports performance – whether you are a leader or someone being led.
People who want to be there best find ways to feed their thirst for excellence. For me, Seth Godin is a voice that feeds me. He takes a fancy corporate slogan like Entrepreneurial Spirit and makes it simple, real, and actionable. I have two questions I ask people to see how hungry they are for knowledge and personal excellence – Do you read Seth? and What is your favorite TED talk? Here is a few thoughts for leaders and individuals.