As a leader are you supposed to be an optimistic, a pessimist, an idealist, or a realist? The answer is “yes”. The key is knowing when to be which. This is not about being inauthentic. The reality is, in some circumstances a leader must be a grim-faced pessimist, while in others it requires being a…
Leading ‘High’ and Leading ‘Low’- How Leaders Get This Right
“It’s a leader’s job to know what must be done, and to be right about it most of the time.” At the 2015 Global Leadership Summit, noted author and speaker Jim Collins provided that superb definition of the leader’s role. So, if a leader is supposed to know what must be done, and be right…
How Leaders can Win the War on Worry
“What if we don’t hit our numbers?” “Supposing the new program launch isn’t successful?” “What will happen if we can’t fill that staff position in time?” These worries, and countless others like them, can dominate the thinking of leaders. But leaders must maintain the discipline to avoid needless worry is because of the mental energy it…
Leaders- Embrace Your Fear Factor
Whoever coined the phrase “fearless leader” must not have been a leader. Because “fear” and “leadership” go together hand in hand. Talk to any effective leader and they will tell you that fear has been a lifelong companion on their leadership journey. Anytime you push the envelope, launch a new initiative, or stake out new…
3 Character Warning Lights Leaders Must Recognize
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a “check engine” light for a leader’s character? Those of us who are mechanically dis-inclined rely on our car’s dashboard warning lights to remind us to pay attention to a small engine problem early on, before it grows to become a big, expensive calamity. When it comes to…
