Any successful leader must master the art of delegation, yet in realty few do. Why is that? Let’s look at the typical progression of leadership to understand why it is so difficult to delegate effectively when you’ve arrived at the top. How Did I Get Here? You achieved a position of leadership by delivering results. […]
posted on May 8, 2021 by
Five Signs You are a Self-Aware Leader
Years ago, a CEO I was working with said to me, “You know, no one gets to be a CEO without an ego.” What struck me about his comment was that I perceived him as one of the lowest ego CEOs I have ever worked with. He possessed the self-awareness to understand that he had […]
posted on March 7, 2020 by
Is Team Building a Waste of Time?
Mention the words “team building” to a group of senior leaders and you can feel the collective groans, sighs and various other forms of displeasure. Most senior leaders feel traditional team building is a waste of time. This might seem curious coming from an executive coach, but I agree with them. Except for the social […]
posted on January 18, 2020 by
The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Executive Coaching
Executive coaching has become an explosive field. I’ve seen examples of highly successful coaching and also witnessed extremely poor practice. Making an investment in executive coaching requires significant time and resources for any individual or organization. Given that investment, here are some thoughts that will help maximize your coaching benefits. Start With The Right Assessment […]
posted on July 17, 2019 by
Do You Serve Or Lead?
You finally obtained your dream job. Your title might be CEO, vice-president, head coach, orchestra conductor or school principal. Regardless of your craft, now your success depends on your ability to motivate, develop and coach those you lead. As a senior leader, you’ll be evaluated on the performance of others rather than your own direct […]
posted on May 17, 2019 by
What Does Success Mean to You?
Most of us seek success. Is there anything wrong with that? Let’s face it, success is better than failure. Winning is better than losing. But high performers can also seek success for the wrong reasons. In addition to creating plans and goals to achieve success, I believe it’s important for high performers to understand why […]
posted on March 8, 2019 by
Creating a Development Culture
Culture is an often used yet poorly understood concept in the workplace. You can immediately feel the atmosphere culture creates when you walk into an office, meeting or locker room. The factors that define culture are complex, but some of the most important ones are commitment, energy, loyalty, integrity and execution. Culture is established by […]
posted on November 16, 2018 by
Can You REALLY Let Go of the Outcome?
I’ve written before about the concept of process versus outcome in achieving sustainable excellence (see Understanding Process & Outcome). For a leader, coach, or performer, the basic concept is simple: Focus on the task at hand and let the outcomes take care of themselves. I’ve spoken with countless clients about this over the years. But […]
posted on July 31, 2018 by
What Motivates You?
You’ve seen the familiar headlines. A professional athlete destroys his locker after a loss…or complains that he isn’t getting the ball enough…or gripes about other teammates to the press rather than behind closed doors. The executive lavishly refurbishes his office with shareholder money, as if to create a personal shrine…or allows the company to lose […]
posted on May 26, 2018 by
Can Confidence and Humility Coexist in a Leader?
A Lesson in the Airport The other day I was in an airport lounge preparing for my latest consulting trip. The lounge was filled with the usual business types chatting on their cell phones, having drinks and generally conveying an air of self-importance. An employee came by to clean up my area, collecting glasses and […]