Leading change can be challenging, but one would think the medical profession would be the most open to change. After all, they are smart, science-oriented, evidence-based professionals and therefore unbiased, right? Not exactly. I was recently reminded of this when I read a PBS News Hour article on medicine. My conclusion from the article: change is hard. Period. Here are five transferable principles from medicine to leadership on dealing with the challenges of leading change.
Read more7 Leadership Labels: Which are true of you?
Leaders are complicated people. And to think a single word can describe us would be the definition of over-simplification. But we all do have patterns and tendencies that result in a word or two (or three) becoming the labels for which we are known. Here are 7 of the most common words we have seen leaders lead with. Some are not so nice. Others are much more appealing. Which ones best reflect you?
Read moreHow to Fail Successfully: 5 Secrets of Overcomers
Why do some people handle failure so well and others, you know, fail at it? Here are 5 secrets of overcomers.
Read moreAttracting & Retaining Millennial Women in the Workplace: A Snapshot of What They Value Most
What do millennial women value most in the workplace? We took an informal survey to find out. Here are our findings and why they are important.
Read moreCheating Our Way to the Bottom: 5 Ways We Shortchange Ourselves & Others
We all have heard about the most recent case of cheating – wealthy people lying, bribing, and spending huge amounts of money just to get their children into elite universities. But cheating is not only limited to the high profile examples we hear about. Here are some of the more common ways we as leaders can shortchange ourselves and others.
Read more5 Gifts to Leave the Person Who Will Take Your Place
Everyone likes gifts, especially really nice ones. And that is true for your successor. As a leader, you make the choice of what to leave for the next person. Here are 5 gifts that the person who takes your place will really appreciate.
Read more7 Modern Leadership Lessons from History [from Napoleon Bonaparte]
Leadership lessons do not only rise from the present. Yes, we can learn a lot of what to do and what not to do from the likes of Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Andy Stanley, Warren Buffett, and Bono. But we are fools to forget the lessons from the past – lessons from leaders like Napoleon Bonaparte, the French leader who emerged in the 18th century and become one of the most powerful leaders in the world. Here are 7 modern lessons from the history of Napoleon that are worthy of our attention.
Read moreWho Attends Your Church & Why They Come [Infographic Data]
Who is attending your church? We recently looked at the church health survey results from 35 of the churches we have worked with to identify the common themes including who their church attenders are, why they come to that church, and what they think about the ministries at the church. Here are the findings.
Read more10 Actions for Building a Culture of Safety
In studying eight of the world’s most successful groups, researchers found that creating a culture of safety is crucial. Here are 10 elements that help build a safe culture and therefore a successful organization.
Read moreBoomers, Gen X, and Millennials Want Similar Things When It Comes to Work
There has been a library full of articles and books written over the past five years regarding the wants and needs of millennials. While some of it is true, it’s a bit oversimplified to think many of these are only true of one age group. Here are four things most employees want whether they are 30 or 60.
Read moreLeaders Managing Conflict: Which Type Are You?
The seeds of conflict are everywhere. And leaders in particular cannot escape conflict. There are generally three types of people when it comes to managing conflict. Which type are you?
Read more6 Times When You Should NOT Make a Decision
Making good decisions not only requires wise counsel and accurate information, it also requires knowing when to make a decision and when to hold off. Here are 6 times when it is better to delay a decision until you are in a better state to make it.
Read more11 Behaviors that Build Credibility
It is very hard to lead without influence. In order for leaders to have influence in the lives of others, they need to have credibility. Credibility is easy to lose but takes work to build and maintain. If you want to build your credibility, be sure to make habits out of these 11 behaviors.
Read more8 Principles Your Organization Can Learn From the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the mother of all sporting events in the U.S. Over 100 million viewers. Commercials that cost $5 million dollars and are watched as intensely as the game. And winning the game significantly increases the value of the team and each of its players. So what can our organizations learn from this epic game? More than you may think! Here are 8 important principles.
Read moreTreated Unfairly? You Have Options… and Excessive Whining Isn’t One of Them
Unfairness doesn’t only happen in sports – like the recent missed call in the New Orleans and Los Angeles NFL playoff game. Being skipped over for a promotion. Getting down-sized late in your career. Receiving what feels like a biased performance review. Life is not always fair, but we are in control of how we respond to it. In other words, we have options. Here are six of the more important ones.
Read moreHow to Change Your Organization (and Yourself) This Year
Change can be exhilarating or difficult. Our response is determined by what the change is (something that I like versus something that I fear), when the change happens (good margin versus no margin), and the nature of my temperament (change energizes me versus change stresses me). Here are seven tips to successfully implement change this year.
Read more6 Times When Your Organization Is Most Vulnerable
When is your organization most vulnerable to decline? Sometimes when you least expect it. Here are the top six seasons when organizations are most vulnerable to a crisis.
Read moreA Leader's Pledge for a New Year
A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start in many areas of our lives including our health, family, finances and even our leadership. Here is a pledge I am sharing with my team, and I encourage you to consider it for you and your team this year!
Read more10 Lessons on Effective Teams from the Human Towers of Spain
Every year in Spain, the long tradition of building Castells—human towers reaching up to 10 stories—takes place. Teams compete to build the tallest and most complex tower made only of human beings standing atop one another. Here are 10 lessons on effective teams from this amazing feat.
Read more12 Gifts of Christmas: What Your Employees Would Love to Have from Their Leader
Who hasn’t heard of the 12 Days of Christmas – the song with all of the strange gifts! This Christmas, there are 12 gifts you can give to your team – gifts that they would both want and appreciate. And most of these don’t cost anything!
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