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Why Influence Matters
Leadership without influence - isn't. In fact, understanding how to leverage the influence factor can make a defining difference in your ability to drive change, build cohesive teams, and successfully implement the strategic vision. As a CEO or entrepreneur your “Influence Quotient” is the IQ you need to pay attention to, as it will be a much greater determinant of your ultimate success than your…
Managing The Board | 10 Things Every CEO Should Know
I've yet to meet a CEO who at some point in time hasn't been frustrated by their board - it goes with the territory. That said, it should be the exception and not the rule. Ultimately, chief executives deserve the board relationships they develop. As a CEO, your board can be one of your greatest allies. Conversely, and just as easily, they can be a significant contributor to your undoing…
Unleadership – A Crisis of Identity
The most popular piece I authored last year was a column I wrote for Forbes on the art and science of what I refer to as pursuitology. As of this writing it had been read more than 260,000 times, had more than 5,000 Facebook shares, and more than 3,000 ReTweets – it clearly struck a chord with the leadership community. As I thought about why this short article resonated so strongly with readers,…
Tone Deaf Leadership
You’ll rarely come across successful leaders who have a tin ear. The best leaders are tuned in to the emotional needs of those whom they serve. They engage, they listen, they empathize, and they acknowledge. They treat you as a colleague, not a subordinate. They seek to understand not direct. They are not tone deaf - they are relevant because they show they care. Are you guilty of having a…
Why Should Anyone Be Led By You?
Why should anyone be led by you? This is the seminal question for all leaders. People arrive at a position of leadership in many different ways - some individuals openly and aggressively seek out positions of leadership, while leadership is thrust upon others. Whether leaders are elected, appointed, anointed, or self-proclaimed, and regardless of whether it is by design or default, once in a…
First Impressions
Do first impressions really matter? While they shouldn't, the reality is that they most certainly do. As the old saying goes "you only get one chance to make a first impression," and often times it is the perception of appearance that determines whether or not you are even afforded the opportunity to get up to bat. The truth is most people when first meeting someone will quickly attempt to size…
Leadership: Blinded by Success?
Can leaders be blinded by their own success? You bet…While success is what all leaders strive for unless you’re prepared to handle it, success can quickly complicate your life. As strange as it may sound, success can oftentimes be the precursor to failure. So my question is this: Is your success serving as a springboard toward significance, or is it merely a temporary state, precariously…
Leadership and Time – 15 Time Wasters to Avoid
Time; it’s the only thing we all have in common, yet it’s how we choose to spend it that defines and differentiates us as individuals. Even though time is a key success metric, I am always amazed at how many leaders don’t manage it as such. Time is indeed a precious and finite commodity, and those executives who use it wisely are those who achieve the greatest results. Let me be very direct -…
Is the Customer Always Right?
Is the customer really always right? How far should a company go to satisfy their clientele or customer base? What is the lost opportunity cost associated with customer churn? Is there a point when satisfying the customer is actually harmful to the enterprise, or back to the original question, is the customer always right? In today's post I'll share my opinion as to the validity of this old…
Leadership and Resourcing
It's not what you have, but what you're able to make out of what you have that matters. Every great leader understands the importance of creating leverage via proper resource allocation. The best leaders possess an innate understanding of how to create resources where none exists - they know how to deploy and redeploy resources to maximize opportunities and to minimize risk. So my question to you…
20 Leadership Books You Might Not Have Read
If you know me or have read this blog for any length of time, you know that I believe all great leaders are also voracious readers. In fact, I would go so far as to say reading is simply a necessity if you're serious about leadership. I'm constantly asked for reading recommendations, and rather than provide you with the current bestseller list du jour (you can get that anywhere), I've compiled a…
Leadership & the Super Committee
It's been a while since I've weighed in on the political front, and with the recent failure of the Budget Super Committee, I thought it would be an interesting time to examine the difference between statesman and politician. I don’t know about you, but I’m so fed-up with the rhetoric and the gamesmanship in Washington that I’m about ready to give up on all politicians. Our country was founded by…
Leadership & Discipline
The difference between good and great often comes down to discipline. So my question is this - how disciplined are you as a leader? Context, fluidity, and other nuanced behaviors are positive traits to embrace so long as they don't serve as an excuse for a lack of discipline. I'm not suggesting that leaders should be robotic or static in approach - quite to the contrary. Implementing a framework…
Leadership Myth: But My Business Is Different
"But my business is different!" Well actually, no it's not. That's an old leadership myth. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I've had a CEO tell me that certain immutable business principles just don't apply to his/her business because "this business is different." I don't dispute that all businesses have certain unique characteristics or contextual differences - I don't even…
Innovation’s Best Kept Secret
Those of you who frequent this blog know that I'm not a huge fan of either/or propositions. In most, if not all cases, decisions that are made on this basis simply constitute a lack of depth and understanding. This particularly holds true as it applies to the topic of innovation methodology. Most innovators view innovation from one of two perspectives: those who believe disruptive innovation is…
When to Restructure
To restructure or not to restructure? When to restructure is the question many a business is forced to ask at some point during their life cycle. The mere discussion of corporate reengineering can cause fear, anxiety, and in some cases even panic. This is so much the case that some CEOs will avoid restructuring initiatives at all costs. There are even some business theorists that warn against…