Anyone can lead when they are walking downhill on the sunny side of the street on a beautiful day. It seems effortless. When you experience those moments, take them in and enjoy the successes around you because they’re usually short lived. On the other hand, as you experience challenging moments working with others, this can…
Tag: John Rodgers
The Servant Leader
Time management and our vision often exist in a state of conflict. What gets me in trouble is when I use my time to drive my wants, at times at the expense of others. I find it interesting how what I choose to do or not to do illustrates my priorities and ultimately produces a…
The Servant Leader
Motivation: Getting others to move in a direction that is a win for them, for you, and for the organization. But who motivates the motivator? The answer is that true motivation must come from within. Five tips to stimulate motivation within others: Talk about their benefits. What’s in it for them? Explain “why” before “what”…
The Servant Leader
This week I was in a meeting with the CEO of a company and his purchasing manager. When responding to a query, the CEO stated, “I am not sure I understand.” The purchasing manager replied, “I understand and that’s why you have me.” This is not a recommended method of becoming a trusted advisor. The…
The Servant Leader
“Everyone is going to draw lines for you, especially when they think you should have achieved something or proved something or become something by a specific time. But it’s your job to reimagine these lines — to cross them, to jump them, and in some cases to ignore them altogether.” Academy Award-winning actor Benicio del…
The Servant Leader
This week I was visiting with a company whose third-generation leaders aspire to increase employee engagement by developing the leadership skills of their 70+ mid-level leaders. With that context, I was asking workplace culture questions to better understand where they had been and what might be challenging in their future. During the discussion, a statement…
The Servant Leader
Have you ever faced impossible odds? Not just something difficult, but something so incredibly challenging that even those closest to you and most supportive of you were shaking their heads and didn’t believe what you were trying to accomplish was possible? Perhaps they even tried to talk you out of attempting it for your own…
The Servant Leader
I was sad to hear of the passing of Roger Bannister on March 3. Bannister was one of my heroes who gave me an understanding of a breakthrough early in my life and career. As most know, he was the first person to run a mile in under 4 minutes when he clocked a 3:59.4…
The Servant Leader
If you are like me, you do not go looking for feedback. Often it feels awkward and points to our leadership blind spots or skill gaps. Since we don’t necessarily like change, it’s natural to resist. This awkwardness can make it uncomfortable to give or receive feedback, so the usual fallback position is to…
The Servant Leader
I’m working this week with an executive who must embrace change. In fact, his life just might depend on it. Having a heart attack three weeks ago probably is as good a reason as any to think about making changes in one’s life and work. For most of us, however, it’s simply not that easy…