individual development Archives

Time to DEVELOP PEOPLE – 3 Tips to Make It Happen

Time has replaced money as the number one excuse from leaders for not developing their people. Here are three tips for making it happen if it truly is a priority, and one tip includes a lesson I learned parenting teenagers to help shift the conversation from excuses to reasons. I believe Learning + Doing = Growth, and here are some thoughts and resources for making that happen for you and your people around leadership and individual development.

3 Tips for Doing Leadership Development Better Than Your Competitors

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.

Writing More Effective Goals – Some tools that will help

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.

Passion and Art: Why does it matter?

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.

What do I do?

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.

Leadership and EGO: Words of Wisdom from Alan Mulally

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.

Good Question – Great Question

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.

3 Questions that help create a culture that SUPPORTS performance

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.

Read Seth

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.

Change – 3 things you can do to lead it from ANY role

Change is not easy, and we make it harder by not being masters and processing it well regardless of how effective our leaders are at managing it. Here are three tips to make you a force for positive change. People that do this are on their way to becoming Linchpins (thanks to Seth Godin for coining that title) in their organizations.

Relationships or Performance?

When relationships matter, process trumps outcome. Leadership does not have to be about relationships or performance, and yet there are circumstances where performance do trump relationships. Great conversations start with a question. Here are some questions to help you think about how you are aligned as a leader.

Jackhammers and Leadership

What was your first leadership lesson? Mine happened when I was 19 and learning how to operate a jackhammer. Here is what I learned, and how it frames my work as a leader, a coach, and even a father. Some thoughts, and a question for you: What are you challenged with today that you have to learn to let the jackhammer do the work? Great conversations start with a question. Lead well and go have one.