No one enjoys making mistakes. Some of us actively fear making mistakes. It’s understandable, of course. Practically from the time we pop out of the womb, we’re told we’re supposed to be right. To know the answers. To never fumble the ball, literally or figuratively. And depending upon our family, community, teachers, bosses, peers, we may be further terrorized by …
Leadership is …
Leadership is hard. At least, it is if you’re doing it right: being a responsible, ethical leader who cares for the team and achieves goals. Leadership is complex. There are many moving parts: individual personalities, unexpected situations, fast-moving decisions, and deep political waters. Leadership is risky. There are countless opportunities to make mistakes: with your team, with problems, with choices, …
The flip side of “accountability”
Leaders are supposed to hold their teams accountable for doing the work they’re assigned. All good, right? Well… yes, and, like just about everything in life, there’s a flip side. Because people – all of us people – need to learn to hold ourselves accountable. That’s called Being a Responsible Human. And always relying on someone else to “hold you …
Is life fair?
I was asked that question a few days ago. How, you may wonder, is this relevant to leadership? It’s relevant because how we approach life is also how we approach leadership. What we believe about life influences how we lead. And as I have said a thousand times and will probably say at least a thousand more times – life …
You’re just the same
There’s an old saying that “wherever you go, there you are.” Indeed. At work, at home, at the gym, at the grocery store, in your community: it’s all you. You’re the same person in each of those spaces – and all others. Wherever we go, we’re the same person. Which means we need to learn how to manage ourselves to …
Reality? What’s that?
No, I’m not talking about politicians (though you’d certainly have reason to wonder). I’m talking about a trap many people fall into. Arguing with reality. What’s an argument with reality? Well, it’s when – for instance – it’s raining on your vacation and you stubbornly cling to your outdoor-activity plans, loudly claiming that “it shouldn’t be raining!” Okay, most people …
Doing unto others
You know the Golden Rule, right? “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Treat everyone like you want to be treated. Sounds eminently reasonable, right? The problem is, we don’t all want the same things. I mean, hello, that’s obvious, of course. But with that in mind, the Golden Rule falls flat and becomes problematic. If …
Can you take it?
Leaders give feedback to their people all the time. It’s a key skill for any leader: how to give feedback, whether positive or negative, in ways their people can hear, learn from, and grow. But taking feedback from their people? Not always easy for leaders, for a whole host of reasons. The formal process for leader-to-employee feedback is clearly defined …
The Ripples of Leadership
Let’s start here: leaders, by definition, have followers. And while everyone’s actions have a broader impact than most of us realize, a leader’s impact has ripples that fan out across – dare I say it – multitudes. This is obvious when we look at leaders in high places: CEOs of companies, Executive Directors of nonprofits, military generals, politicians (especially in …
Every leader’s least favorite thing
Firing someone is no fun. But when they’re not performing, and they’ve been given multiple chances and appropriate coaching and training, it’s necessary. It’s tempting to let things keep muddling along, especially if the person appears to be trying. You feel bad for them, of course. But letting things go on too long is a very bad idea. For one …