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Category Archive: Leadership Development

Change Your Leaders To Change Your Culture

Posted by on November 27, 2017

I have spent a lot of time this year reading about the importance of organizational culture in the success of companies. There are many variables involved but the one constant is the attitude and core values of the leader. These leaders walk their talk and place a high priority on the environment where their people work. This Forbes post is a good read:

“Research done on culture and organizational performance by Kotter and Heskett defines culture as “…gained knowledge, explanations, values, beliefs, communication and behaviors of large group of people, at the same time and same place.”

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The Importance Of Strategic Focus

Posted by on November 17, 2017

When I started working with a new large client last year I was introduced to Michael Porter’s HBR work on strategy. I found his findings challenging to understand at first but later realized just how critical his principles are to every organization. To put it simply being a mile wide and an inch deep is not a good place to be in any market. This post by Ann Latham is excellent:

“A good strategic framework provides focus by limiting the number of directions the organization runs. You’d be foolish to try to extend all your products while simultaneously expanding all your markets while also ramping up capacity or shifting your business model to include new types of production, sourcing, sales, delivery, and partnerships.”

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Four Pathways To Authentic Leadership

Posted by on November 15, 2017

I live daily in the world of leadership development. On one extreme many people fear the idea of being a leader thinking it almost takes some supernatural ability they don’t possess. At the other end of the spectrum are the ego driven abusers of power that in my opinion are not leaders at all. In reality we all lead ourselves everyday and if you want to help others then jump in and lead. This Forbes post is simple but profound:

“The familiar term leadership has become an unfortunate buzzword — something people bandy about without considering its deeper implications. It’s the same thing that’s happened with words like creativity, innovation and disruption. To help refocus, here are four pathways to becoming a more authentic leader.”

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Is Execution Where Good Strategies Go To Die

Posted by on November 13, 2017

One of the greatest challenges in leadership is to take the hours of planning within a small group of leaders at the top and drive it down throughout the entire organization without loosing effectiveness. Great innovative ideas that come out of a small group of executive leaders sometimes simply don’t work well in the real world with execution constraints. This HBR post is excellent:

“Execution is an odd word. On the one hand, it means “the carrying out of a plan or course of action.” On the other, it means, “the carrying out of a death sentence.” When leaders “execute a strategy,” they usually mean the former — putting an idea into action. But those efforts all too often end up meaning the latter. Execution is often where strategies go to die.”

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5 Steps To Resolve Work Conflict

Posted by on November 8, 2017

I think lack of alignment may be the most significant issue within most organizations. This may lead to serious gaps between the demand on the people that consistently exceeds the capacity. Many times these gaps can be closed by significantly improving daily feedback when problems occur. This Fast Company post will help:

“Not getting along with a coworker? Disagree with your team about the direction a project is heading? Chances are it’s not personal, even if it feels like it. But there’s a real risk that it’ll get personal if you aren’t careful. At the root of many of these issues is a simple, common problem: miscommunication. At work as in life, it comes in many forms.”

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How To Connect Strategy To Sustainability Goals

Posted by on November 3, 2017

It’s really amazing how long we have been talking about empowering people and yet we consistently miss the best ideas coming from the people on the front lines. In essence we talk a lot about knowledge workforce and yet we still walk like all the best ideas come from the top down. This HBR post nails it:

“In a recent survey, Bain & Company found that just 2% of companies are successful in achieving their sustainability goals. While this can be disheartening, it doesn’t have to be this way. The company I lead, Ingersoll Rand, is a 146-year-old organization that over the past few years integrated sustainability and business strategy to anticipate and address major global trends, most prominently climate change.”

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Secrets Of The Most Resilient People

Posted by on October 30, 2017

It’s not that you are not going to get knocked down or fail that matters but what you do next. Developing a Life Plan means that I have clearly defined my personal priorities that are driven by core values not circumstances. When things get really discouraging, I go back to the Plan to remind myself of what is really important and start over. This Fast Company post is very helpful:

Some people just seem to bounce back from whatever life throws at them. Whether it’s illness, loss, or tragedy, they do the tough work of picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and carrying on—even when it seems impossible. If you’ve ever thought, “I could never do that” when looking at one of these apparent “superheroes,” don’t be so sure.

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Effective Leaders See Themselves Clearly

Posted by on October 27, 2017

I never like it anymore when I hear someone use the phrase when they make a mistake; wow that was a blind spot. I guess we all have them but it should only be a once in a life time reason. Because from that time forward it’s an eyes wide open choice. Self awareness or character will determine your leadership potential in life. This post by Wayne Stiles is worth the read:

“I’ll never forget the day a fellow leader poked his finger in my sternum and severely criticized my leadership. I stood speechless, not because his words were true, but because his criticism mirrored the very flaws he manifested in spades. In censuring me, he revealed his own warped selfie—but this one wasn’t so funny.”

Categories: Leadership Development Personal Leadership | Comments Off on Effective Leaders See Themselves Clearly

Great Leaders Are Life Long Learners

Posted by on October 25, 2017

Some of the great leaders of our time use the “5 Hour” rule which simply means they are committed to spend at least 5 hours a week reading or listening to podcasts for personal improvement. It’s no coincidence that these are some of the most successful people as well. Part of my life plan includes this goal. This Forbes Coaches Council post is helpful:

“Learning is an attitude that allows us to succeed in these times when change is constant. To excel in our area of expertise, we must merge who we are today with whom we want to be tomorrow. As humans, we can be whatever we want. We’re at our highest potential when we are learning, adapting, adjusting and finding unique ways to improve our lives. ”

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The Common Traits Of All Great Teams

Posted by on October 18, 2017

In today’s business environment working through teams in not a novelty anymore but a necessity. The use of teams can be abused and become nothing more than group think without execution. However, when teams are working well they can significantly improve productivity. This Forbes post provides great insight:

“I’ve watched a lot of the very best teams on the planet and had the chance to serve and help build many of them. As I reflect on what makes them work well together, it’s their commitment to being together and leveraging each other’s strengths. Here are three common denominators I’ve noticed about great teams.”

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