The Senior Manager says: “What if we train and develop our people, and then they leave us?” The CEO says: “What if we don’t train them, and they stay?“ No doubt you have seen this meme circulating in recent years. It’s true, though. It’s also very insightful. Think about the mindset of an organization that […]
Recently, I was having a conversation about the making of great leaders. During that conversation, I was told: “I don’t have enough money to be a leader.” That comment confused me at first. It got me thinking about the prospect of “creating” a leader and whether money can play a part. While probably not the […]
I help many people try to figure out better organizational and personal leadership strategies. One of the many things that I teach my students is that there is no difference between life and leadership and that if you can master one, you can probably master the other. Of course, I also teach them that every […]
Validation Exchange: Validation Exchange can be an amazing tool for communication, goal traction, engagement, performance management, quality control, and relationship/team building (among others). An Example of Validation Exchange in Play: A leader asks a worker to put together a report on (X, Y, and Z) and have that report available before the end of the […]
There is no doubt that leadership can be a complicated topic. There seems to be no end to the theories and concepts about leadership and how to practice or teach it. It can be especially tough for those just getting started. The truth is that there is no magic key or guide. Leadership is like […]
Organizational Development is a complex endeavor, even for the smallest organizations. This is because there is much to consider as the organization grows and because new perspectives and considerations arise with each new change. Ultimately, there are several specific strengths and weaknesses that I feel an organization should be on the lookout for. The following […]
I was recently asked, “Do you think that leaders really make a difference?” This is a great question, and while I would suggest that they do, I would challenge anyone to examine the why or why not before answering the original question. I think you might be surprised by what you discover, and doing so, […]
Transformational leadership is currently the most popular perspective of leadership. It is defined as a leadership approach that causes a change in individuals and social systems. Ideally, transformational leaders create positive change in their followers and ultimately develop their followers into leaders. However, don’t confuse this with pseudo-transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is fairly easy to identify. […]
When I applied for the job, I had no idea I would be standing face-to-face with the man who would ultimately turn my life around by providing me with the mentorship I so desperately needed. I was surprised I even got the job. I was young, cocky, and extremely inexperienced. I got the call, though, […]
Self-serving bias is a cognitive or perceptual process distorted by the need to maintain and enhance self-esteem or the tendency to perceive oneself in an overly favorable manner. Unfortunately, it is all too common. Regarding Organizational leadership, it can be detrimental. From a leadership point of view, self-serving bias is when a person or organization […]
