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 territory, you…
Building Real Courage: 3 Truths Every Leader Should Hear
The idea of the “fearless leader” owes more to myth than it does to leadership reality. The goal is not to be fearless, the goal is to be courageous. There’s a world of difference. A fascinating conversation I had with a professional athlete painted a vivid picture of this. During my college days, I supported…
Ready to Lead with Speed? 4 Signs You Should Act Now
This article is part of my Global Leadership series; Insights from more than a decade of leadership training around the world… Knowing the pace at which you take action as a leader is often as important as the action itself. Sometimes you need to kick your leadership into high gear, and lead with speed. Such…
The Power of Courage: 3 Qualities Every Leader Should Master
In challenging times, leaders are called upon to exhibit inspiring levels of courage. But finding the ways to develop such courage can be a leader’s greatest challenge. The traditional approach to courageous leadership has often been found in such qualities as bravado, fearlessness and sheer power of will. But today’s leadership landscape has changed, and…
Making Declarations: A Simple Step to Stronger Leadership
What you declare will go a long way to determining who you will become. Many leaders have values, most have opinions, and some even have convictions. But declarations are different. A leadership declaration is a personal statement of resolve that definitively underscores a leader’s core “DNA”. As an example, when I was in my early…