One of the arts of leadership that I urge strongly is that leaders distill and internalize maxims—short statements of wisdom. I urge them to memorize these maxims, to live them, to talk about them, and to be generous in passing them on to the young. This is part of the [read more]
In this C-19 season, there is a great deal of announcing of information. Statistics are fraught with meaning. Each moment brings “Breaking News.” All of it gets repeated. Yet it is how this information is proclaimed that distinguishes the leader from the drama queen. You’ve seen the drama queen many [read more]
There is one untended duty, one failure to act, that I have seen cause more loss, more devastation, more embarrassment, and more weakening of teams than any other. I’m going to tell you what it is and then challenge you to fix it. That one oft-repeated failure on the part [read more]
I’m going to flood you with C-words in this Leading Thoughts, because I want to talk to you about the difference between Command and the Counsel of Core Values. I’m going to urge you to consider that Command is a lesser form of leadership. The Counsel of Core Values is [read more]
I’m always hesitant when I hear someone claiming that there is one skill that is the key to all future success. I know there is no such thing. A matrix of skills will lead to success in the future, just as a matrix of skills has always led to success [read more]
I believe that the primary job of a leader is to build a vibrant leadership culture. If this is true, then establishing clear “First Principles” is something all leaders must skillfully do. First Principles are those truths that guide conduct. They are the short, clear statements that team members remember, [read more]