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: The Servant Leader
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
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
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…
The Servant Leader
Time out! Do you have followers? Do you have the right followers? What I mean is followers who make a difference to your organization, to the communities in which they belong, and to the families in which they live. Almost 30 years ago as a young sales representative for Dale Carnegie, an owner of a…
The Servant Leader
I was working this week with a global vice president whose organization is facing 7% turnover. He met with his staff and asked the magic question: “In what ways can we…?” It took them 25 minutes to stop blaming and start thinking of possible solutions. Only then did ideas begin to flow: Change how we…
Time Out! The Servant Leader
Goals. Please write, review, and/or rewrite your goals for 2018. Did you write them from the “Me” perspective or the “We” perspective? When we set our goals from the “We” perspective, we can be more helpful or useful to others to better serve them. Send me a note and let me know what your goals…