The idea of innovation is interesting, because every relationship, every team, every company in the world can fall into the trap of just doing what we’ve always done. We get into ruts where we feel like we can’t possible change because this is just the way we’ve done it. Yet we need to bring fresh eyes to our lives, our work, our missions. Before I really start, I’d like you to pause and consider these…
What kind of “Leadership” are we really talking about? When you say, “we need more leaders” or “I wish you would lead better next time,” what is the kind of leadership that you are referring to? We throw the term “Leadership” around so loosely these days and the term itself has gotten even more confusing in the divisive times that we live. What one person refers to as leadership, another calls a bully. We all need…
I had waited 45 minutes before the people I was supposed to be meeting with came around the corner and thanked me for being there. They were noticeably frazzled. “Okay, what are we here to discuss?” the woman began. “Well, you called this meeting with me,” I began slowly. “We called this meeting?” she responded. In fact, she had called this meeting. It was a scene out of a Saturday Night Live sketch. I retraced…
We can’t forget the 6 A’s of Leading Change. There is no doubt that we are living in turbulent times. Things are moving very quickly around us all. The anxiety that surrounds volatility can often cause us to lose sight of what is within our control. It’s easy to get caught up in the madness and sometimes forget that there is a role we all play in the creation of our lives and the teams…
Oxfam is an international organization committed to finding solutions to poverty and social injustice. It does its job well. And the woman beside me on the plane was clearly preparing for an interview with the organization. She was extremely focused and seemed detail-oriented as she combed through the pile of documents she was holding. Intensity, anxiety, and focus radiated from her. Nearly halfway through the flight, someone in the row behind us kicked our seats…
We all have the opportunity each day to think about setting the temperature in our life and career. The culture around us is changing every day so the question isn’t, “Is it changing?” It is changing. The proactive question is, “Do we want to play any role in what it becomes?” Too many individual leaders, teams, and entire organizations get stuck in thermometer mode because they lack clarity on the temperature they are trying to…
We all know the scene. It is comical, yet frustrating. Our airplane lands, and the hunt to claim what is ours begins. Within seconds, a human wall of hundreds is created around the baggage claim, each person with their shins pressed against the cold metal carousel. As bags emerge, the human wall shifts as each individual jockeys for “the best” position. They do not budge an inch until they get their bags from the spot…
With teams I work with, I talk about the three different kinds of mental baggage we carry: Events Consequences Thoughts We all have mental baggage. How we deal with the baggage often determines how we travel on the road ahead. Events are the things that happen to us. Things that are out of our control: the weather, the economy, disease, accidents, betrayal and more. We then carry the baggage, the burden, and the stress from how that…
Last year was last year. The question is, what temperature will you set in the new year? With each new year comes a chance to refresh, renew, and refocus. In a world that is moving so quickly that if often jostles us back and forth and it’s hard to stay focused on all that is happening around us, our time is now. 2017 is here. The only way we begin to see more clearly is…
As you solidify your plan for the coming year in your personal life, with your team at work, with your spouse or family, or the organization you serve, I invite you to reflect on a different question. The typical questions we race to are What Do I Want To DO Next Year? What Are My Goals? These are good questions. We’ll get there. But first, I encourage you to step back and ask the questions…
