“What are the characteristics of a leader?” I get this type of question a lot. My answer points to the 3 pillars of team motivation—3 key areas where great leaders spur engagement, which is the core of leadership. Let’s just role up our sleeves and name these leadership topics right off the bat: 3 Pillars…
Does Your Leadership Foster Innovation in the Workplace? Or Kill It Dead?
Does your company foster innovation in the workplace? I know you want to nod emphatically and assure me with a big “YES.” But a lot of you may have scoffed instead. Because statistics show a huge disconnect here: Just 54% of entry-level people say new ideas are “celebrated internally,” compared to 91% of senior executives Only…
Quick Thought: Labor Shortage + Leadership
For almost 30 years, I’ve been talking to clients about the coming labor shortage. Time and again, I’ve worked to encourage and motivate leaders with the truth that how we manage and engage people is critical to survival. Even if you didn’t believe that 10 years ago, it was true then. But now, it’s true…
The 1 Trait 97% of Exceptional Leaders Share (Long before They Lead Anything)
I can quickly recognize people who will excel in leadership positions, often long before they’re anywhere near that level. I don’t have a crystal ball. But I do have enough experience to have identified the single most consistent indicator of leadership potential. Of course, many traits can contribute to success in leadership. And no 1…
Quick Thought: Symphonic Leadership
I visited the symphony a while back. Sitting in the audience, waiting for the conductor to arrive, I was struck by a metaphor relating individual people on a professional team to individual instruments in an orchestra – each tuned to their own frequency, playing their own sound. What happens when the leader arrives? My comment is…
Blocking, Tackling, and the Long-Game Courage of Great Leaders
Transcript: I’m going to talk today about one of the key reasons I see that many managers never become the excellent leader that they could become, but rather remain trapped in a cycle of short-term, manager focus, thereby sub-optimizing their long-term potential. Listen here: Transcript continued: Ironically, the way this happens is by too…