The following leadership lesson was circulated around our organization today. I’ve read this before, was inspired, and moved on to the popular leadership theories and acronyms of more “modern” leader training. But this is a story that deserves to be revisited often, it teaches lessons lacking in today’s leaders. In an article published in the Warton Leadership...
The Maxwell Leadership Bible counts the leadership style in the United States since World War II. There has been an evolution of leadership styles over the past sixty years which illustrates the change in the generations and a move to more internalized and inspired followers. 1. Military Commander. Leaders returned from the war emulating the leadership styles that won the war. They...
A warrior is a person experienced in or capable of engaging in combat or warfare, literally or figuratively. Most leaders are figurative warriors, those who show great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness in everyday challenges. Merely acting like a warrior is insufficient, a warrior leader must become one by consistently walking the path of: 1. Integrity – honest and sincere 2...
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...
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...
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
Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, and ignited by a purpose.
As defined at a Diversity Champions Workshop by Guardian Quest
Opportunity to succeed (43%) The good life (37%) The pursuit of happiness (34%) The American dream (22%) A fair shake (17%) To be left alone (13%) A fresh start (9%) Everything I can get (9%) A fighting chance (8%) A new beginning (8%) The American dream has been dropping on the list because young people don’t think they will ever achieve it. Wanting the good life has moved up in its place...