Famed psychiatrist Carl Jung has been credited with saying that criticism has “the power to do good when there is something that must be destroyed, dissolved or reduced, but is capable only of harm when there is something to be built.” Unfortunately, too many of us violate this truth of the human psyche. In fact,…
It’s Not about the Score
Today, we’re going to a college rowing competition. We’ll take my blimp, so we can get high enough to keep tabs on how the 2 teams are fairing in comparison to each other. From far off, we might be able to tell that there are 8 rowers per racing shell, each operating his own oar.…
Fear Kills Creativity: Leadership Lessons from Cavemen
The caveman and his family were settling in by the fire for the evening. Father and son had enjoyed a successful day of hunting, and Mom had brought a big stack of wood in from the rain. So the family was fed and warm as Dad talked to his son about the prototype spears they’d…
Shopping for Engagement: Cyber Monday’s Management Lessons
For decades, Black Friday has been a hot media topic every November. The biggest shopping day of the year has evolved into a weekend of jaw-dropping sales, shoppers camped out in sleeping bags, and crowds shoving their way to deeply discounted wares. I won’t even go there. But what about Cyber Monday, Black Friday’s younger…
When I Used to Be a Guy
As a leadership coach, the conversations I have with professionals aren’t often strictly work related, because the lines between our personal and professional lives aren’t always as bold as we might choose to believe. After all, leadership, like life, comes down to understanding ourselves and others. So it seems appropriate that a leadership blog should…
The 6-Year-Old in the Room
When I work with clients as they analyze whether a candidate is a good fit for a position, I hear one comment more than any other: “I’d like someone with industry experience.” “Why?” I ask “Isn’t it obvious?” my client replies, surprised by my question. Nope. Not in my book. The reasoning for this experience…
