The US President is arguably the world’s most famous person right now. Time will tell what legacy he leaves but he is certainly leaving big handprints on the world stage. Almost everyone has an opinion on the man, be it his style or his politics or both. I’m sure you…
Week 6. Why Why?
The most visionary and inspirational people I know have one thing in common. It’s not high position or material wealth… They all have a Mission. The world can be divided between survivors – who are trapped in today and tomorrow, and dreamers – who can see a future. All great…
Week 5. What are you Afraid of?
I’ve worked in some great teams. The thing that set them apart was how smart they were. Or better yet – how smart they became. You see great teams aren’t born smart, they grow smart. They overcome the fears that hold back ordinary teams. Their leaders aren’t afraid of making…
Week 4. What are they Learning?
All teams want to be good at what they do, but only some are. Part of the reason is impatience. No time to coach. Just get it done. Learning doesn’t have to be difficult but it can be slow. Also it’s easier to stop than to start. You might get…
Week 3. Where are your boundaries?
David* was one of the most skilled tradesmen I’ve ever known. A lovely person deeply respected and involved in his local community. Also a perfectionist. One day at work I started to talk about maintenance costs and he stopped me. “Not my job to worry about cost” he said, “that’s…
Week 2. What do you Believe?
I know a senior leader who believes that people are motivated by just 3 things – Fear, Greed and Sex. I don’t know if he holds any religious views but his beliefs about motivation shape his behaviour as strongly as any spiritual ones could. Maybe more so. Something in his…
Week 1. What’s your New Year Resolution?
A sports club I know hires extra gym equipment before every new year to cope with the rush of new year’s “get fit” resolutions. That same equipment is de-hired just 2 weeks later when most of those new fitness routines stop. Taking the fresh start of a New Year to…
154. Are People a Problem?
A friend once told me how happy he was after changing jobs to a very technical design role. “the best thing” he said, “is I don’t have to deal with people any more…” The trouble with people is that they’re all different. And often difficult. The trouble with leadership is…
153. What are you Practicing?
Successful people don’t have 7 habits. More like 70. Or 700. The reason they’re successful is they have more good habits than bad. Just as great athletes or musicians train for muscle memory, so too great leaders train for behaviour memory. Almost all behaviour is habit based. Especially when stress…
152. Where do you meet?
I’ve worked with leaders who spent very little of their time with their own people in their workplace. Physical interaction wasn’t part of their job. They weren’t unfriendly, just distant. And isolated. And weaker as a result. They never knew what they were missing. Most failed as leaders. I’ve also…