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On Being an Authentic Leader
Wolfgang Beltracchi is the most successful art forger in history. His fake paintings have sold for $46 million to museums and private collections all over the world. He says the experts hate him because he managed to fool them for decades - he eventually wound up in jail. Some say what he did was a crime against the art culture and others think it was acceptable because he didn’t hurt anyone.…
The Leadership Dance
Not everyone will respond to your leadership. No matter how good you are, there will be skeptics. Leadership is a human endeavor and humans have choices. Still, it’s your duty to find a way to lead them. It's the leadership dance. No matter how big your organization, your message, direction, and motivations flow through a handful of people and leadership is like dancing; it is accomplished one…
Why Your CEO Just Doesn’t Get It
Quality leadership or a lack thereof is easy to spot if you know what to look for. The problem is most people don’t know what to look for in a leader, and according to a recent study by Chief Executive magazine many CEOs don’t seem to know what to look for either. While I probably shouldn’t have been surprised, I will admit to being absolutely stunned as I reviewed the results of a survey…
Reinventing Vermeer
Tim’s Vermeer is a riveting documentary about inventor Tim Jenison’s quest to understand the genius of Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer. The film chronicles Jenison’s discovery of a technique Vermeer may have used to create his photo-realistic paintings prior to the invention of photography. History offers few clues to Vermeer’s life. Most art experts have cited a genius of vision—the ability to…
The Leadership Lesson They Don’t Teach In Business School
I’ve always believed leadership exists to disrupt mediocrity, but I’m afraid in recent times many leaders are losing that battle. Somewhere along the way, they threw in the towel and settled for a weak-kneed, watered-down version of leadership – they have rationalized and justified themselves into an acceptance of mediocrity. The sad reality is that in many cases, the education, training, and…
Top 10 Reasons Diversity is Good for the Boardroom
I do quite a bit of work on matters of board composition, selection, and succession, and what I can tell you is this; board diversity is simply smart business. You'll never hear me recommend diversity solely for the sake of checking a box, but when diversity in the boardroom offers so many benefits to the CEO (and to the entire organization) it's nothing short of irresponsible for chief…
What the NFL Can Learn from a Civil War Soldier
"Beware how you take away hope from another human being." — Oliver Wendell Holmes This week, the Miami Dolphins stole headlines from their NFL competitors. Unfortunately for the league, the Dolphins, and the rest of us, the way their players talk and not the way they play invited the scrutiny. Words are unique to the human condition and the thread that connects us to this quilt of humanity.…
Avoiding Problems With Leadership: The #1 Problem Every Leader Has but Isn’t Aware Of
Let’s cut right to the chase - the biggest problem all leaders face is in fact problem solving itself. It's the job of every leader to avoid, minimize, or altogether eliminate problems. When the inevitable problem does arise, it's the burden of a leader to convert said problem into an opportunity. The issue is this; most leaders are woefully inept when it comes to problem-solving. Pick any…
Clear Counsel – How Sweet the Sound
When you want to know how your leadership is working--ask. Years ago, I learned this lesson when I received some unsolicited advice that challenged my professionalism, served as a wakeup call, and changed the arc of my career. The counsel came from a subordinate as I was leaving an important leadership position but it would have come earlier if I had only asked. I was very interested in my…
8 Ways To Spot Great Leadership
If you ever wonder why we’re in a crisis of leadership all you have to do is to watch and listen to those in positions of leadership. While there are clearly many aspects of leadership that must work together in harmony in order for leaders to be effective, everything breaks down when leaders don’t understand how to engage effectively. The saying "success leaves clues" couldn't be more true for…
The Silent CEO Addiction Killing Productivity and Talent Development
Corporate America’s dependency on consulting firms is nothing short of substance abuse in the purest form. The fact is most CEOs suffer from this very dangerous addiction and they don’t even know it – they are clearly in need of an intervention. Addicts don’t often admit they have a problem. They tend to rationalize and justify their behavior as normal. Here’s the thing – normally doesn’t always…
12 Leadership Qualities of an Often Overlooked President
I’m a big fan of author and historian David McCullough. His writing has a way of transporting me back in time as few other authors can. Recently I have been immersing myself in his account of America’s second president John Adams. McCullough’s portrayal of John Adams leadership qualities has made no small impact on me. If your early education was anything like mine, Adams presidency was glossed…
A Simple Lesson from the Declaration of Independence
Fifty-six Continental Congressmen signed the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. With each quill stroke, the men committed treason and placed at risk their lives, fortune, and sacred honor. The act was more than symbolic; it added weight to the cause and tied their personal fate to the Revolution. There was no denying they had skin in the game. While the Continental Army had been at war…
When in Doubt, Rehearse!
Lately I’ve seen several leaders trip over the unexpected outcome of a grand plan. They failed to anticipate the mistakes and mishaps that happen in all organizations. When I see an outcome surprise a leader, I’m reminded of a lesson I learned years ago from my Dad. He had been a great football coach and when I expressed interest in playing quarterback, he agreed to teach me how. He taught me…
A Leadership Trait that Saved America
Today the U.S. Army celebrates its 238th birthday. Looking back, its growth into comfortable old age seems inevitable but in its youth that outcome was far from certain. In 1783 on the Ides of March, the inseparable fates of our Army and Republic were very much in doubt; disgruntled officers of the fledgling Army were gathered in a secret meeting in Newburgh, New York to discuss insurrection.…
To Hear the Truth, You Have to Listen
Thoreau wrote: “It takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and another to hear.” Most of us are great at the former but at the latter, not so much. Truth be told, most of us are poor listeners. When considering great leadership skills, we focus on transmission skills--speaking and writing. The most effective leaders know they have to be great listeners too. They understand the need to work…