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I love it when a plan comes together.
But here’s the problem: How often is your perfect plan disrupted by reality? It seems that surprises always come up, whether good or bad.
Your job as the leader is to help your team navigate through that mess in real time.
Read the rest of this entry »I’m convinced that each of us has been placed in this world for a particular purpose. And what we do in this world is to find that purpose and then fulfill our role.
In a religious context, some might refer to this as “God’s mission” or “our God-given gifts.” Or in secular language, it might be the “chosen mission” or “strengths and talents.”
Use whatever works for you. What makes this distinct is that it’s deeply personal and not just following what people expect of you. Or even what education you got or what your job is.
Read the rest of this entry »There’s an attraction to making things complicated.
I get that. It makes you feel smart and capable. You can feel pride in being the best.
But it surprises me how often it helps to go the other direction – make things as simple as they can be. This is especially true in leadership.
Read the rest of this entry »Last week I had the chance to see a virtual tour through the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
It took me back to when my wife created a quilt much like what you see here. What impressed me was the careful detail and commitment to such a long project.
We don’t tend to do that much anymore, instead focusing on instant gratification.
Read the rest of this entry »I’ve found that this is the kind of attitude you’re trying to nurture in leading a group: Let’s do this!
It captures precisely the kind of energy that we’re going to need to do some hard work while having fun. And it conveys a sense of personal commitment to achieving the group’s result.
Even pride.
Read the rest of this entry »I spent most of my career in technology, so I became accustomed to having the industry change very quickly. Chasing waves of tech can get crazy, and I appreciate that the professional coaching industry doesn’t move at quite that pace.
When it comes to supporting my clients, I could argue that what we learn today is basically the same as it was three years ago. Or 30 years ago. Or 300, for that matter. Because it’s about listening, helping clients think through issues and chart a course forward.
I imagine that 300 years ago, the role of a coach was performed by the wise elder or good friend. And the relationship was probably described as “wisdom” or “helping.”
Read the rest of this entry »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 »I don’t know about you, but most of the things I do I’m … barely competent at.
Not incompetent, mind you, but enough to get by. There are a few things that I’ve gotten quite good at, and during my life may have even excelled at something.
So I was heartened today by seeing a thoughtful quote that:
Read the rest of this entry »22 years ago, the world came to a halt.
I expect that almost all of us remember where we were that morning, even those of outside the US. We had no words.
The important question, though, is: What did we learn about ourselves?
Read the rest of this entry »What’s changing because of your work?
We all want to make a difference, right? Whether it’s introducing the world to new ideas, or fixing problems, or giving people productive work … that’s where the motivation comes from.
This is true at the individual level, for an organization, even for society as a whole. And the answer is usually different at each level.
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The Values-Based Business 