How to Navigate Life in Work – Six Considerations
As leaders, we catch glimpses of people’s lives. There are challenges of all sorts going on in people’s lives. Every now and then, we catch a glance as the whale of life appears above the surface. We know it happens, as we know life is imperfect. We want perfect, but that only happens in the…
A Founder’s Story. A Leadership Lesson.
It’s all about me! And other founder red flags you should never ignore. Getting pitched by a new startup? You’re probably face-to-face with the founder. At a local university, at a coffee shop, or perhaps in your own office. You get to size them up. You hope you ask the right questions. But most of…
What Would You Tell New Leaders?
Growing up, we lead. We lead high school groups. We organize bike rides for charities. We launch a lemonade stand. We dive into college groups and emerge as part of the leadership team for a year or two. And, then we get our first job. We start differently. We analyze, write, and support others. We…
How to Get and Keep Respect – 4 Practices
I believe one thing people want in life is respect. We want to feel valued, listened to, and called upon to do ordinary and extraordinary things. It is about self-worth, and it is about using our talents. Respect is such a simple thing in concept. In practice, since other people are involved, respect gets more…
Wake Up Your Character
Character is often discussed. However, it is commonly done in terms of values and leadership styles. It becomes a surface-level talk, almost naïve in approach. Yes, our character may be apparent in meetings, conversations, and good times, but how does it really work when faced with everyday reality? During the past several weeks, I have…
What Type of Wake Are You Cultivating?
I am not a sailor. I am a farmer’s son. As a teenager, one of the jobs I had was cultivating corn. I was on a tractor and, behind me, was an implement designed to remove weeds in between the rows of corn. The corn rows were left intact, as long as I could drive…
The Unfortunate “Nature” of Leadership
What do a meadowlark, cricket, and squirrel have to do with leadership? The answer in a minute… Nature has a way of spurring memories and calming minds. It is that fresh breeze blowing through the prairies or those cool, fresh mornings where everything seems renewed and possible. We hear a meadowlark sing their continuous song,…
How Would Your Headline Read Today?
There is an old political adage that states: “Don’t do something that you would not want to appear on the front page of The Washington Post.” Pick your favorite newspaper, as this was one the used while I was working in Washington, D.C., early in my career. The simple statement delivers sound advice. As always,…
The Other Side of Stamina – Success
Last week was Spring Break. We packed up and headed to Colorado for a week of skiing. I don’t ski though. Never have, and may never. It is not an issue of stamina, just slightly brittle bones. While the family skis, I spend time to catch up on projects and hike. This year it was…
On Stamina: Three Principles and Two Supporting Thoughts
Stamina. The power to endure. We need stamina, just as we need a backbone. The two, in a way, are related. They hold us upright and keep us looking straight ahead. When we look at people, we wonder how they survive certain events. When the unexpected headline lands on someone’s lap, we gather around in…
Why Having Thick Skin Is Essential
“Get thicker skin!” “She/he must have thicker skin.” We hear these statements, and what rings through our mind is “toughen up.” There is truth in this thought. We do need to have thick skin in our life. Many things come at us – Making ends meet Surviving annual reviews Being told you are not good…
Spite or Solve: A Choice
We have a choice – in our nation, our community, our family, and our organization – as to whether or not we foster an attitude of spite or solve.