Leader wellness requires physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness. As I was thumbing through an in-flight magazine today I noticed an article citing research that I’ve long suspected; moderate exercise benefits not only physical well being but also our mental. Most of us have been through intermittent periods of exercise or non-exercise with higher fatigue, irritablility, and...
I have to ask….Why? As a father of two teenage daughters I frequently hear their friends and them state somthing akin to “I just want to do something to be famous..” I cringe every time I hear it because they envision a life of glitz, glamour, and glory….I see a life of discontent, decadence, and diversions. Jesus was arguably the most famous person to live; almost 2000...
Talk Straight
Demonstrate Respect
Create transparency
Right wrongs
Show Loyalty
Deliver results
Get better
Confront reality
Clarify expectations
Practice accountability
Listen first
Keep commitments
Extend trust
Franklin Covey
Arrogant [Eloquent] lips are unsuited to a fool how much worse lying lips to a ruler! Proverbs 17:5-7 (NIV) Truthfulness is an elusive habit for leaders. We are assaulted daily by situations that beg for lies, half-truths, misinformation, deception, and withholding. These situations arise at work from difficult communication, positions of disadvantage to us, and fear of retribution. Within our...
The self authentic Resolutely turned inside out Deep core manifest Purpose-driven intent Committed in relationship Seeking mutual purpose Influencing connections and direction Action and transformation in the world Demands personal transformation of leader An arduous path that calls for Life-time commitment Sometimes agony Sometimes exhilaration Always risky This personal stretching requires...
I recently hired a new leader for a regional area of our large sales type organization. During our initial meeting he and I discussed my expectations, talked about the vision for the organization, my leadership philosphy, and near term goals for his area. I also provided him with a concise list of the top five things he could do to get off to a good start with his subordinate leaders: Be clear...
In this 2009 TED Conference presentation Daniel Pink examines motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most leaders don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think.
I grew up in a time when church frequently included special gospel meetings that featured a guest preacher imploring nightly over the course of a week to get right and reap the rewards of heaven or certainly go to hell. We were encouraged to invite our friends and neighbors where every night the message and volume would escalate until a satisfactory number had responded to avoid the punishment of...
Our challenges are too big to let a single employee’s ideas or energy go to waste, so sustaining an environment of dignity, respect, and collaboration – where different perspectives are not only welcome but sought out – is critical.
Gerard J. Arpey Chairman and CEO of American Airlines in American Way magazine January 2010
Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles
From John P. Kotter’s book Leading Change