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…
How To Develop The Courage To Lead In Challenging Times
In today’s turbulent times, leaders are being called upon to lead with more courage than ever before. But how can you lead courageously, when you’re just not feeling particularly brave? One glance at the unfolding crisis in eastern Europe reveals inspiring examples of courageous leadership in action. But while most leaders will never be called…
How to Leverage the Power of Leadership Declarations
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…
The Christmas Season Is Full Of Leadership Insights. This Is How To Find Them.
A leader must be as relentlessly protective of their people as they are zealously focused on their goal. And as the Christmas season is upon us, you can find a vivid picture of how these two vital leadership principles can be intertwined by looking at one of the time-honored carols of the season. In Good King Wenceslas you…
3 Ways To Know It’s Finally Time To Kill Off A Good Idea
As a leader, you must be able to start things. You must be able to complete things. And, more often than you’d think, sometimes you have to put an end to things. In leadership, sometimes you just have to kill off a good idea. But how can you tell if it’s time to kill off…