Leadership & Development
What All Leaders Can Learn from NASCAR
This weekend the NASCAR racing series returns to the Talladega Speedway. Last year I was interviewed by Megan Englehart of Fox Sports about the pressures facing young drivers in the Truck Series elimination race at this track. As the circuit returns to Talladega this year, I’ve reflected on some lessons all leaders can learn from high-pressure events…
Read MoreConnect With Those You Lead
What comes to mind when you hear the term leader or leadership? For most, it is some combination of power, charisma, intelligence, charm and motivation. It is true that many effective leaders have these qualities. Yet, in order to be a truly great leader you must genuinely connect with those you lead. You cannot do…
Read MoreREI Reaps Rewards By Putting Purpose Before Profit
As we approach the holidays, retail businesses are in high gear preparing for their most profitable season. For many companies, the holiday season largely determines their outcome for the year. The fate of leaders during this season has a profound effect on their careers. Miss your targets and your job may be in jeopardy. Resulting…
Read MoreMicrosoft Learned from MINDSET — So Can We
In Rich Karlgaard’s recent Forbes column, he recommends three books for vacation reading. While vacation is over for most of us, I was struck by the longevity of one of his recommendations. Karlgaard referenced the success of Microsoft since Satya Nadella has taken over as CEO and noted the recent conversation he and other colleagues…
Read More5 Reasons Leaders Don’t Give Tough Feedback
Most of us agree we can’t be great without candid feedback, especially about things we can improve in ourselves and our performance. Yet often we don’t receive this feedback at all or react poorly when we do. Lisa McKale recently published a very nice infographic on Resourceful Manager regarding this topic. In my experience these are typical reasons…
Read MoreHow Lin-Manuel Miranda Created a Smash Hit: Leadership Lessons
When’s the last time you’ve heard so much buzz about a Broadway musical? Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda has turned a history lesson into a serious case of ticket envy across America. Even before Hamilton was nominated for a record sixteen Tony awards and claimed eleven top prizes, people have been willing to stand in…
Read MoreHow Do I Get in the Zone?
You know the feeling. Everything is going your way. The ball goes straight down the fairway every time. Before you hit your shot you KNOW it’s going to be good. The words are rolling off your tongue during the speech or presentation. You have the audience on the edge of their seats. You close the…
Read MoreThoughts On Leadership From A Fortune 20 Executive
I’m fortunate that practically all my corporate clients genuinely care about leadership and demonstrate this commitment in our engagement. However, many executives claim to be interested in leadership yet their behavior often doesn’t match their speech. I’ve recently crossed paths with a senior leader (not a client) who writes about and demonstrates leadership. Karin Hurt…
Read MoreRadio Interview on the Psychological Aspects of Performance
Enjoyed a great radio interview with Bryce Johnson http://www.unpackinit.com on sport psychology. We discussed a range of topics that also apply to executive coaching and any other performance oriented pursuit. Some of the concepts we discussed include: The importance of psychological skills at the highest level of performance Can mental toughness be learned? How can I…
Read MoreExecutive Team Coach and Individual Coach: Mutually Exclusive?
Coaching senior leadership teams is a very challenging and rewarding endeavor. It’s not for the faint of heart or new consultant. But if you are up to the challenge and have the necessary skills, successful execution creates breakthrough experiences for individuals and teams. In order to achieve these breakthroughs with senior leadership teams, some of…
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