The Empty Carriage: A Leadership Lesson
A story is told that one day as Elimelech of Lizhensk, a great rabbi in the 18th century, was riding in a carriage, he noticed a throng of people following. He asked his coachman, “Why are all the people trailing behind?” The coachman explained that the people wanted...
Vision Statements That Work: The Long and Short of It
How long should your vision statement be? The answer: Long enough. Long enough to evoke a noble sense of purpose, provide a call to action, and describe a clear picture of your destination. These four vision statements work because they condense a lot of information...
The Key to Visions That Work
. . . .. .. What makes a vision work? Why do some visions galvanize people toward great achievement while others cause your eyes to glaze over? What all great visions have in common is they provide an answer to these three questions: 1) Destination: Where are we...
Five Easy Ways To Tell If An Organization Is Really Values-Driven
What do Zappos, Ben and Jerry’s, and Southwest Airlines have in common? They are all financially successful, values-driven companies. A lot of companies claim to be values-driven. They publish their values and use them in marketing messages. However, this does not...
Simple Communication Tips to Set Up Respectful Global Relationships
If you haven’t communicated with a client or colleague in another country recently, chances are you will do so soon. Technology and our global economy have shrunk our geographical boundaries. Developing a global customer-centered approach to communication is essential...
The Right Decisions Depend on “How” – 3 Things You Can Do to Help Your Team
Almost all of us have experienced or observed a team that made a “right” decision that wasn’t effectively implemented because team members did not feel good about how the decision was made. Developing and using effective team behaviors ensures your team not only makes...
How the Power of Vision Can Help Your Family & 4 Tips to Create One
Today’s children live in a world where stress and pressure comes at them from countless sources – from peers, teachers, and coaches to the media that paints a picture of unattainable perfection, parents who want the best but sometimes push too hard, and a world that...
When You’re Thrown Off Course…
In 1975, Terry Fox, was awarded Athlete of the Year his senior year in his British Columbia, Canada high school. A few months after graduation, he discovered he had a malignant tumor. His leg was amputated four days later. The night before his operation, he read a...
Vision: How It’s Created Is as Important as What It Says
How you create your vision is as important as what it says. Here are stories of two companies that illustrate this important lesson and 5 guidelines for how it's created. The Story of an 11th Hour Turnaround In 1994, Connecticut became the first state to open...
When The Best Techniques Don’t Work
Fresh out of college, with a degree in special education, I was quite excited when I landed my first job as a teacher in an experimental program – a joint venture between New Mexico State University and the public schools. The program was housed on the university...
Set Up Your Team for Success
Do you have a new team or are you starting a new project? Most teams rush into the work of the team without getting clear agreements in the beginning about where they are going or how they want to get there. They wait until they hit a bump in the road, and then are...
Four Views in High Performance Organizations
In our studies of high performance organizations, (organizations that sustain high levels of productivity, profitability and employee satisfaction over time), my colleagues and I found that although these organizations have their own unique and distinct culture, four...