“Toxic leaders cast their spell broadly. Most of us claim we abhor them. Yet we frequently follow — or at least tolerate — them.” ~ Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Allure of Toxic Leaders (Oxford University Press, 2004) Much has been written about toxic leaders with psychopathic traits and narcissistic … [Read more...] about Toxic Leadership: A New Look at Solutions
Leadership
Driven to Lead: What Makes People Tick
Leadership is about relationships with others. You cannot lead without understanding the innate drives that are essential to human development and survival. “Our understanding of leadership can be no better than our understanding of what makes humans, all humans, tick—what are the ultimate … [Read more...] about Driven to Lead: What Makes People Tick
Conversational IQ: 5 Conversational Blind Spots
Is there such a thing as conversational intelligence? It could be that some leaders are naturally more adept at the art of conversation. It’s certainly true that we all could improve our ability to engage and influence others through conversations. “Human beings are the most highly social species … [Read more...] about Conversational IQ: 5 Conversational Blind Spots
Overcoming Leadership Blind Spots
There’s no escaping it: Everyone has blind spots. No matter how hard we try to be self-aware, everyone—including the best leader—has unproductive behaviors that are invisible to us but glaring to everyone else. Our behavioral blind spots create unintended consequences: They distort judgment, … [Read more...] about Overcoming Leadership Blind Spots
Are You Over-Led and Under-Managed?
“It has become popular to talk about us being over-managed and under-led. I believe we are now over-led and under-managed.” ~ Henry Mintzberg, Simply Managing: What Managers Do—and Can Do Better (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2013) Much has been written about the difference between leaders and … [Read more...] about Are You Over-Led and Under-Managed?
Set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
“Goals are one of the most misused and abused concepts in business and life today. Quite often, they’re set but not met, or set without providing realistic aims and/or equipment to achieve them. As a result, goal outcomes are often lowered until they are met or scrapped entirely in favor of new … [Read more...] about Set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
The Quest for Better Teams
“Teamwork remains the one sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped.” ~ Patrick Lencioni, Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Jossey-Bass, 2005) Corporations increasingly organize workforces into teams, a practice that gained popularity in the ’90s. By 2000, roughly … [Read more...] about The Quest for Better Teams
Accountability Essentials
Is accountability becoming even more important in 21st Century business? In an age of ubiquitous social media and cell-phone videos, Big Brother’s watchful eyes seem to loom large. Rudeness, politically incorrect slips of the tongue and outrageous conduct are digitally captured and immediately … [Read more...] about Accountability Essentials
How To Make Great Leadership Decisions
The normal state of your mind is that you have intuitive feelings and opinions about almost everything that comes your way. ~ Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize laureate in economics We are quick to pass judgment and make snap decisions. The smarter and more educated we are, the more overconfident we are … [Read more...] about How To Make Great Leadership Decisions
Brain Fitness for Leaders
We've known for some time that leaders require higher levels of emotional intelligence as they pursue career advancement. There's now accumulating evidence that cognitive fitness is becoming a focal area for high-achieving leaders. Until recently, busy executives could find few guidelines for … [Read more...] about Brain Fitness for Leaders