Today’s brand of leadership is all about inclusion, engagement and service. With that comes an expectation for consensus-based decision making. But, not all decisions should be based on consensus. If you’re going under the knife for heart surgery, you don’t want your doctor to wait until everyone agrees on what to do next while you […]
Communication without conflict is peaceful, harmonious and pleasant. Imagine your family, fellow employees, and negotiations between nations void of conflict. Wouldn’t we be less stressed, more relaxed, with far fewer lives lost in wars? But communication without conflict can also be boring, unimaginative and repetitive. Imagine how dull conversations over dinner and in team meetings […]
In our attention deficit world, how does one get noticed? Develop a leadership brand. You can no longer rely on your hard work and great results to get you promoted. A client of mine worked his whole life getting all the degrees and certifications he could. He got on all the right committees and demonstrated […]
A great mission statement, developed and implemented the right way, engages employees, defines priorities and guides daily work. However, most people equate mission statement development with getting a root canal. Mission statements fail for five reasons: 1. Leaders develop them without involving those who implement them. 2. They choke off growth because they focused on […]
Mission driven organizations sometimes frown upon self-promotion. I think it stems from our puritan/religious traditions that one is called to serve, not advanced through self-promotion. I’ve noticed this cultural trend over the years with several of our non-profit and healthcare organizations in particular. I recall how difficult it was for a coaching client from a non-profit healthcare […]
Where do you go to get quality work done? If you’re like the people Jason Fried interviewed for his book “Rework” your answer might be a coffee shop or a special room in the house, or while traveling on a train or a plane. You wouldn’t mention the workplace being a good place to get […]
The holidays are over and we’re tempted to do what we do every January: Make resolutions for the New Year. But let’s face it: How many of you acted on the resolutions you made last year? For many, great plans start with a bang but end with a fizzle. Why is this? Why do well […]
John Rampton – Success.com  December 31, 2015 Leaders have a lot to do, so sometimes they forget things—important, big-picture things. Leaders might seem superhuman at times. They aren’t. They’re mortals, just like anyone else. And with a lot on their plates, caught up in the details of their role, they can forget to do things—big-picture […]
When processing dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes, decision makers at the corporate level look for a personal brand that sets the candidate above all the competition. This goes beyond any checklist of credentials or skills. Others may have exactly the same list. Instead, we’re talking about the personal characteristics you will bring to the […]
When we insult each other we damage relationships and that is why direct verbal insults aren’t socially acceptable. But some individuals use body language to hurt others either intentionally or unintentionally. Dismissive gestures vary from culture to culture and they can be used in a variety of ways to: •   minimize or ignore the other […]