Culture
High road or low road. Where are you?
Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” Many people familiar with Marcus Aurelius aren’t aware that his writings were private journals, only discovered after his death in 180 A.D. His statement above takes on a new, deeper meaning seen through this lens. He was instructing himself,…
Read MoreBest practices breed mediocrity.
Hear me out. Best practices are necessary. I’m not suggesting that you throw them out the window. However, over time, best practices become industry norms which means you’re just doing what everyone else is doing. Best practices are a great starting point for building something exceptional but they are the beginning, not the end destination.…
Read MoreTired of making excuses?
I recently met a man named Adam. He was a super successful investment banker that upon turning 40, realized that he had become what his junior high track coach called him, “a fat kid.” He is just shy of 5’10” and had bloomed to 250+. And, no, the coach shouldn’t of said that, but at…
Read MoreLagniappe – do you have it?
Lagniappe, my friend Gina from Louisiana, told me about this Cajun term. It means “a little something extra.” Don’t try to say it based on its spelling. It is pronounced lan-yap. Try saying that with your best Cajun accent. So what does Lagniappe have to do with leadership? At this point in the game, everything.…
Read MoreAre you leading or lagging?
We frequently help our clients establish KPIs or Key Performance Indicators. They are simple, clear, and compelling ways for your team to see if they are winning in real-time. Indicators, in general, will either be lagging or leading. A lagging indicator tells you what happened. It is about history. A leading indicator helps you create…
Read MoreUse Your Words: Keep the conversation going
I was sitting at a local coffee shop. In came a human train of preschoolers marching through the front door. True to form, one of those youngsters started pushing another kid. The preschool leader sternly looked at the child doing the pushing and said, “Use your words.” Conversations are the power cord for relationships. They…
Read MoreDo you measure up?
I have been doing executive coaching professionally since 2005. I have coached doctors, lawyers, business leaders, PhDs, surgeons, CEOs, and genetic scientists. As odd as it may sound, I have become convinced over time that one of the biggest things holding leaders back is not that they think too highly of themselves. They actually don’t…
Read MorePass on the Superstars
Whether you’re a fan or not, Tom Brady is the quintessential “A” player. 10 Superbowl appearances and 7 wins statistically make him the GOAT – the Greatest Of All Time. His long-time coach Bill Belichick was recently interviewed and said, “He always found a way to make his players productive. It didn’t matter who the…
Read MoreAre you safe?
They have you surrounded. They are screaming and making demands. They want money and lots of it. They’ve taken control, and you don’t know what to do. Sound familiar? Just a typical day at the office, right? You could tell them what to do, you are the boss, but rarely is that the most effective…
Read MoreAre you focusing on the right thing?
I am a 64-year-old Baby Boomer. In the world I grew up in, leaders focused on getting results. And in most cases, it didn’t matter how many people you stepped on or used up to get those results as long as you got results. Focus is a powerful thing. It will direct actions and increase…
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