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Why do we have this very human need to honor those who have served before us?
Lest you think I’m just talking about our civic culture, I’m not. I see this need also in companies and other organizations.
It’s a need we shouldn’t ignore in our efforts to constantly be looking forward.
Read the rest of this entry »Humans don’t live in the present very well. We’re always looking forward, anticipating.
It’s usually a good thing, but there’s times we can get into trouble.
As a leader, part of your job is to make some tough decisions. Things which will sting for you and those around you.
Read the rest of this entry »Too busy for that right now, gotta run!
This seems to be our normal state of affairs, right? And if we’re not actually too busy, we just say we are to escape having a conversation.
Talking. With real people. About real things.
Read the rest of this entry »I’m currently in a season of recognition and appreciation for the people I’ve been working with.
It’s actually a pretty interesting topic, primarily because it depends so much on the existing relationship and the cultural context.
We all remember that appreciation should be timely, specific, and honest:
Read the rest of this entry »It can be tough to undergo a change of leadership. Especially if you’re the outgoing leader.
Sure, there are potentially many effects on people in the organization, but that’s not what I’m focused on today. I’d like to talk about YOUR experience.
The best case is that the change is known in advance, even if not all the details are clear. Soon there will be a specific date, perhaps a certain event at which the announcement will be made. Ideally you see this as a positive thing, the passing of leadership duties from one person to the next.
Read the rest of this entry »When you get down to it, the most important things aren’t complicated.
You have a few things which guide your personal choices. Your organization’s purpose is actually pretty straightforward.
Now, you may DO a lot of things, and follow processes which have a zillion steps which contain many hazards. I get that.
Read the rest of this entry »I’ve been doing a lot of planning recently – weeks, months, years – and I’ve noticed something curious.
Here’s the way I describe it: I’ve created a plan for this thing happening next month, and have done my best to think through all the ins and outs. It’s become so real in my mind that I’m imagining it actually happening.
The problem, of course, is that it hasn’t actually happened yet.
Read the rest of this entry »Leadership can certainly feel lonely at times.
A lot of that feeling comes from a belief that you’re not supposed to show weakness, doubt, or failure. You’re the strongest person in the entire organization, right?
But this leads to isolation.
Read the rest of this entry »There are some amazing leaders out there who we admire and even envy.
Here’s the problem: they’re not you. And if you tried to be them, you might totally fail. Or even hate yourself for trying.
How do we deal with this apparent contradiction?
Read the rest of this entry »We’ve all been there, the greatest embarrassments of our careers.
The hard part is being really honest with yourself, as you probably saw the failure coming and just hoped that you’d be able to find your away around it.
Jim Collins articulated this idea well in Good to Great:
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The Values-Based Business 