Confidence vs. Arrogance
Confidence vs. Arrogance...is it merely a question of semantics? I think not. While confidence can be mistaken for arrogance, and vice-versa, they are clearly not interchangeable terms. When you think of yourself as a leader do you view yourself as having the quiet confidence of David or the boastful arrogance of Goliath? In today's post I'll describe the power that resides with the truly…
Critical Analysis
Critical thinking skills are not a luxury for senior executives – they’re a survival skill. In today’s hi-tech business world we have become reliant on any number of available business tools to help us achieve better results and to perform at higher levels. We attend classes, workshops, webcasts, conferences etc., and we read books on how to master everything from the newest software application…
Play to Win
Today's message is not likely to please the politically correct, nor will it mollycoddle the timid. I'm not going to address competing or playing nicely, rather I'm going to deal very bluntly with the topic of winning. Want to succeed? It's easier than you might think...just don't quit. Strip away the excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, and the only thing standing between you and the…
Guest Post – Scott McKain
Batting cleanup in this week's all-star lineup of guest bloggers is one of the most accomplished storytellers I know; Scott McKain. Not only is Scott brilliant in his ability to entertain you with wonderfully constructed word pictures, but he does so in a truly thought-provoking fashion that leaves you both inspired and informed. Scott is the author of three #1 business bestsellers, including his…
Guest Post – Steve Keating
Today's guest post is written "for leaders only" by Steve Keating, a leader who definitely walks the talk. I have been following Steve on Twitter (@LeadToday) for quite a while now, and find him to be one of the most selfless individuals tweeting today. He offers sage advice and counsel, does not attempt to sell anybody anything, and his true intent is simply to help others become better people…
Guest Post – Wally Bock
No, I didn't just get better looking...I have a torrid travel schedule over the next few weeks and have enlisted a few friends to pinch-hit with guest posts in my absence. First up is Wally Bock, who while being my senior looks 10 years younger. I really hate that, but I digress... For those of you not familiar with Wally, you're in for a real treat. Wally is a seasoned pro well known for his…
CEO Success: It’s Not Random
Success is not random...CEOs need to realize that neither their success nor their failure is a random act. CEOs also can rarely lay blame for their victories and losses on anyone other than themselves. Top CEOs have a knack for consistently exhibiting the right combination of skill sets, competencies, leadership aptitude, and decisioning ability. Failed CEOs simply do not. Having success as a CEO…
Strengths vs. Weaknesses
Should you play to your strengths or shore-up your weaknesses? If you pose this question to a group of professionals some will answer play to your strengths, some will answer shore-up weaknesses and others will answer both. The truth is that they are all correct to a degree...The real answer lies in understanding the context, environment, and priority of the situation to which the question is…
Are You Culturally Savvy?
What do I mean by culturally savvy? I am not addressing the topic of being politically correct, rather I want you to focus on the importance of simply being cognizant that there is a larger cultural impact on how business is conducted today than ever before. Cultural differences often exist within the same companies...they certainly exist between different companies. Without question, there are…
Fear, Failure, Risk and Success
Because risk management as it applies to executive decisioning is a subject that is not adequately addressed in the educational world, it is often left to lessons of experience. As such, learning how to recognize, understand, quantify, and manage risk is one of those lessons that often comes at a very high price. While each individual has a different tolerance for risk, it is how a person chooses…
Understanding Your Customers
Many businesses find that understanding their customer base is often easier said than done, which is why I've written often on the importance of maintaining an external focus with an emphasis on customer centricity. Let me put this as simply as I can...If you want to succeed in business, you must be in touch with the demands of the marketplace. While many businesses think they understand their…
Family Business
Family Business...a quote from Charles Dickens sums up my feelings about family businesses: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Oh what a conundrum...Family business; should I, or shouldn't I? Today's Myatt on Monday's question comes from an entrepreneur who asks: "Should I involve family members in my business venture?" In my opinion there really isn't a right or wrong answer…
Top Leadership Movies
Top leadership movies...you may be thinking "can anything about leadership actually be learned by watching movies?" You bet. I was recently asked for my opinion about which movies I felt were the top leadership movies of all time. After thinking about my answer for a few minutes, I realized that while not all leaders are fans of cinema, all leaders can certainly learn valuable leadership lessons…
Who is Brian Deese?
Do you know who Brian Deese is? I didn't have a clue until Monday when I read a very disconcerting New York Times article entitled: "The 31-Year-Old in Charge of Dismantling GM." Well, Brian Deese is in fact the 31-year old staffer for President Obama referenced in the aforementioned article, and who also happens to be the primary influencer/driver behind the policy decisions now guiding GM. This…
Workforce Reduction…
Workforce reduction is not an operating strategy...Regrettably, tough economic times are often the precursor for ushering in massive rounds of corporate downsizing, rightsizing, layoffs, corporate restructurings, and the like. Reducing headcount in an economic downturn is almost a Pavlovian response for many executives. It's as if workforce reduction is priority number one in some corporate…
Are You A Thought Leader?
Thought Leadership…What is a thought leader, and what does thought leadership mean in today’s business world? As much as some people wish it wasn’t so, a thought leader is not someone who simply restates someone else’s views and positions. Furthermore, beyond uniqueness of thought, a true thought leader’s positions also challenge established norms and conventions. Moreover, the true litmus test…