Dig Below Your Dreams to Discover Your Vision
Your vision arises from your hopes and dreams. If you’re not clear about what you really want, you are likely to set goals that will not be truly satisfying once accomplished. Look below the surface to find the roots of your dreams. You might find that what you...
How to Influence Without Authority
Back in the good old days, if you were in a position of authority, you could just announce what needed to be done and assume it would be carried out. But times have changed. As companies expand and become more complex, no matter what organizational structure is in...
5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Identifying Team Values
What Happened: Someone on the leadership team suggested it would be a good idea to identify our values. The regular agenda for the leadership team meetings was already jam-packed, and no one had time for an extra meeting to do this work, so the task was assigned to a...
Four Strategies to Make Your Vision a Reality
Guest post by Todd Nielsen Vision, strategy, and goals are important …but they are not enough. One of the greatest challenges in business—and frankly, one of the greatest challenges in life—is doing the things necessary to make one’s vision a reality. To ensure the...
InsideOut Enneagram: Book Review
It can come as quite a shock to discover that everyone doesn’t experience the world the same way you do. They don’t necessarily perceive it the same way, nor are they driven by the same desires and needs, nor do they evaluate their experience the same way you...
Collaborate or Do It Alone? 3 Guidelines to Decide
“I think collaboration can be a good idea and I probably should involve others more in decision-making. But it really slows things down. I can’t involve people in every little detail or we’ll never get anything done around here,” Jim remarked, waiting for my response....
Death by Team Drift: The Slow Demise of a High Performing Team
The president of the company created a multi-disciplinary task force to research what would be required of leaders in the company to be successful in the next decade. We were all pleased to be selected to be on the team. We thought it was a worthwhile project, liked...
Charismatic Leaders vs Visionary Leaders: 7 Indicators
The excitement and energy was palpable. The company was poised on the brink of a transformation that would make it an industry leader. Ready to take the leap, Richard, the president, asked me to facilitate a strategy meeting with the senior leaders. In preparation...
8 Leadership Skills Essential for Success in the Future
I don't need a crystal ball to see what will be required of leaders in the future. All I need to do is look around. Most of the companies I work with these days are multi-national. They are expanding, becoming larger and more complex as they seek to establish a...
If Your Vision Is Only About Yourself, You Are Too Narrowly Focused
If your vision is only about yourself, you are too narrowly focused. If you take only from your environment and contribute nothing in return, you are harming that which supports you. In fact, that’s the definition of a parasite. And ultimately you are harming...
How to Avoid Team Decisions That Plop
When was the last time you were with a group of people that needed to make a decision, where people tossed out ideas and at least one suggestion was totally ignored? If you’re like most of us, it was probably within the last few weeks, whether in a business meeting or...
Why Should I Hire You?
In this guest post, Thabo Hermanus, owner of a recruitment firm in South Africa, offers sage advice that is helpful for people at all stages of their career, not just those actively seeking a new job. Your life is one big interview! People tend to think that the...