I remember the time a senior leader said something during a small group conversation that motivated me to ask if he had an alter ego. He enthusiastically answered “Yes!” He then shared that he calls his alter ego Nomar, which is his first name spelled backwards. As he talked about Nomar's persona, we discovered another dimension of [...]
As much as we all absolutely hate to be judged and evaluated by others, at some point we have all done just that to someone else. Even if we don’t speak the words going through our heads, our thoughts can be felt. A person’s view of the world may not be the same as yours due to their [...]
Individuals that lead differently understand the responsibility that leaders have for developing their people. Delegation can be a powerful development tool. Done well, it garners positive results. It frees up the leader for more strategic pursuits and contributes to the organization's leadership pipeline. Developmental delegation does, however, require thoughtful planning. The leader must slow down long enough to [...]
Empathy is a key component of every leader’s emotional intelligence. Covey calls it “seeking to understand.” Imagine how different you would lead if you took time to gain the perspective of your boss, a peer, co-worker, or direct report. Some confuse empathy with agreement, but understanding does not require agreement. It does require consideration. The [...]
The quality of a leader’s personal relationships (with family and friends) is indicative of his/her ability to form professional relationships that drive team performance, and stimulate collaboration and innovation among peers, key stakeholders, and co-workers. As you read this article, think about a personal relationship that requires your attention or needs healing. What is a [...]
Leaders often feel compelled to take on a great deal of responsibility to achieve the strategic vision of the organization. Moving into the new year, try harnessing the power of delegation to lighten the load. Is it possible to assign tasks to your team to help lessen the burden of competing priorities and deadlines? Can [...]
Ideally, optimism is rooted in rational thought and logic. As you move into the New Year with positive thoughts about what's possible, check to ensure that your optimism is appropriately grounded. Consider asking for feedback on your goals to ensure that they are realistic; reflect on past successes and the strategies you used to achieve [...]
When pressure mounts, leaders often focus their priority on achievement and neglect their well-being. Be kind to yourself. Use meditation and exercise to boost your stress tolerance and your optimism. Both will help you focus, manage your energy, and handle competing priorities. I often recommend the CALM app, which provides guided mediation sessions in as [...]
Work is an essential component for leaders in every organization. However, work should not consistently over shadow other aspects of a leader's life. We are only capable of taking on so much before physical and emotional resources are depleted. The more responsibility a leader shoulders the more important it is to pay attention to one's emotional reactions to daily [...]
When leaders sacrifice themselves continuously to their jobs they can become trapped in what is known as the Sacrifice Syndrome. The Sacrifice Syndrome is the result of heavy responsibilities, the perpetual need to influence, and the pressure to get results. Sacrifice leads to Power Stress, a unique blend of stress that results from constant involvement [...]
