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 […]
posted on August 9, 2016 by
5 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 […]
posted on September 9, 2013 by
Thoughts 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 […]
posted on April 16, 2013 by
Redefining Passion In Leadership
In your leadership journey you have undoubtedly heard about the need for passion. It’s true that passion is essential to excellence. But I find leadership passion is very misunderstood. Passion comes in many different packages. When we think of passion we often go to images of highly charismatic, often dramatic, leaders giving impassioned speeches to […]
posted on October 31, 2012 by
Don’t Waste Your Time With Mission Statements
Many performers have been summoned to a “team building” meeting and asked to create a mission statement for their athletic team, corporate department, non-profit organization, etc. The problem with these meetings (and most forms of team building) is they ultimately turn out to be a waste of valuable time. Performers have been through these types […]
posted on August 1, 2012 by
USA Women’s Gymnastics: A True High-Performance Team
There are numerous articles and books about high-performance teams. I am influenced by these sources and use them in my work with executive and sport teams. However, when you are witnessing a true high-performance team in real time you are emotionally moved and intuitively understand the elements involved. I had that experience while watching the […]
posted on May 21, 2012 by
Excellence Keys: Prepare, Perform, Evaluate
In any performance oriented situation or profession, there are three keys to achieving sustainable excellence. You won’t knock it out of the park on every occasion. Guess what, you’re human! But I’ve found that following this three step process allows performers to achieve consistent excellence over time. Prepare I’m surprised how many executives attend important […]
posted on April 24, 2012 by
Treat Every Meeting As A Performance
Most senior leaders have worked in their organizations or professions for long periods of time. They are often very comfortable with the individuals and/or situations they encounter in most meetings. This can lead to a casual mentality towards meetings, treating them more as conversations rather than performances. In reality, every time you enter a meeting […]
posted on February 4, 2012 by
Are You a Performer?
Greetings. Are you a performer? Your stage may not be a literal one – it may be a work place, or your home life – but you love the show, the adrenaline that comes with it, and the artistry it demands. When you get ready to go to work, you say to yourself, “Show’s on,” […]