In the real world, we tend to cut our high performers a bit more behavioral slack than we do the average performer. This isn’t necessarily wrong. High performance is the result of high internal standards, a key characteristic of successful organizations. Sometimes however, no matter how high the performance, behavioral issues become unacceptable. This is…
Americans don’t get much positive feedback about our role in the world these days. It seems we’re always stepping into it, wasting our time or being made fools of. There are places in the world however, where what we stand for is appreciated, even treasured. On our trip to the Czech Republic we took a…
Jim Croce sang about his desire to stop the passing of time and keep it for later use. Don’t we wish! Time is the great equalizer. Every day each of gets the same amount of time and all leaders want more. More isn’t available. We can neither create time nor hold onto it. For leaders…
One day, when our daughter was about eight, she came home from a church summer camp wearing a tee shirt with the phrase “I’m third” printed on it. When I asked what it meant she explained that God came first, other people second and, “I’m third.” I can’t think of a better guiding principal for…
We’ve all read articles or heard speakers pontificate on the differences between leadership and management. I reject the concept. Leadership is management and management is leadership. To cast management as a second tier role downplays its importance in a successful organization. My preference is to view leadership as both an art and a science. The…
That’s my favorite question to open with at a job interview; “what do you believe? Candidates usually stare in disbelief or offer a copy of their resume. Obviously, reading, “The Tens Steps to a Great Interview” didn’t cover this one. After some stuttering, I’m usually asked what I mean. I just want to know about…
Who can forget Cuba Gooding Jr. yelling the line, “Show me the money!” to Tom Cruise in the movie ‘Jerry Maguire.’? It’s become a part of the American lexicon. While speaking before a group of senior business students I asked the question, “Who has the real power in any business?” I heard about the CEO,…
As an avid golfer there have been many times when I’ve thought I solved the riddle of the golf swing and began thinking those three deadly words, “I’ve got it!” They’re deadly because it seems that whenever I think I’ve figured it out, virtually everything stops working. My swing becomes a mess and I lose…