leader

Building Initiative Momentum

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Leaders typically encourage their personnel to demonstrate initiative. They need processes to be improved, problems to be solved and changes to be implemented, which can only occur when their teams are willing to invest additional time and discretionary effort. How do you encourage initiative? How do you overcome reluctance to propose a new idea or method? How do you inspire discretionary effort? Most employees want new challenges; it increases the meaningfulness of their work and …

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The Certainty of Uncertainty

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Few strategies are actually implemented as planned. Circumstances inevitably arise to disrupt the best of plans. Every experienced business leader understands this reality, and the need to adapt. With this certainty of uncertainty, what then makes the difference? What produces success? Business planning is still an essential, productive exercise. But leaders recognize that it’s the planning process that is most valuable, not the plan document that emerges.  The process of developing the plan engages leaders …

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Leadership Lessons from St. Patrick

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Lost in the midst of parades, green beer, and Irish music, there is a story of a remarkable leader. That millions of people still celebrate a holiday honoring Patrick, 1500 years after his death, attests to his success as a leader.  How does his legacy have anything to do with business leadership today? Leaders are not born into this world; some may arrive with stronger leadership traits or qualities than others, …

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You Can Do Everything Right as a Leader and Still Fail!

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If you’re an experienced leader, then you’re already aware of this reality. You’ve learned how it feels to be squeezed between grand expectations and constraints you cannot overcome.  Sometimes, despite your best intentions and efforts, you don’t succeed. But failure is a better teacher than success, and when you stumble as a leader, there’s one most important lesson to recall. Negative experiences are humbling. Failure resets your attitude, opening your mind to change and to …

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Why Do Good People Fall Short?

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Perhaps they lack the required experience, confidence or competence.  Perhaps their goals are unclear.  But often, it’s the behavior of the employee’s leader that is the primary cause for constraining an employee’s performance. When a leader acts differently than the employee expected – neither being nor doing what they believe is appropriate – then the employee is likely to get discouraged and fail to meet his or her potential. Leaders don’t do this on purpose, …

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Every Business Has Just Two Strategies

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Have you needed to focus on surviving rather than thriving? As a leader, getting your head up to find the future is your responsibility. If you don’t do it, who will? Begin by recognizing that every business really has just two strategies.  The first strategy involves protecting and optimizing your current core business, the mature activity that is paying your bills today. Investing too much of your time in this strategy keeps you mired in …

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Make It a Year of Firsts

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A couple of weeks ago, I experienced the joy of becoming a first-time grandfather. A beautiful baby boy was delivered by our first born daughter. These are the moments that define a life well lived and we are blessed that mom, dad and baby are all doing well. The year 2014 can be a year of firsts for you too…firsts that drive your growth. Start the new year by considering how these 3 “firsts” can drive …

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