Note: This was originally published on March 4, 2013 Friends, After a lunch on Friday, one of my students told her female classmate, and then told me, “You’re a pusher.” I’m not sure if today’s students understand that back in the day, a pusher, was a drug pusher,* but they knew it still didn’t sound … Continued
Note: This was originally published on July 17, 2011 Friends, If you want to lead better, and who doesn’t, then you know that leading is about helping others to produce their best, right? The most powerful leaders are not those who lead millions, but those, whom the vast majority of people talk about when asked … Continued
This was originally published on March 7, 2011 Friends, About 10 years ago I was working on a book based on tens of interviews. I never quite finished it, but it taught me a lot. One of the lessons was this: Never turn the tape recorder off until you’re out of the interviewee’s presence. You … Continued
Note: This was originally published in June, 2015 10 of my law school classmates made it to sandy, sunny Lake Michigan for a weekend gathering, truncated into 36 hours, due to widespread workaholism and our cross-country flights. As if the decompression time wasn’t short enough, I ate into it by foisting a “group exercise” on … Continued
This post was originally published on March 25, 2013. Friends, A wonderful recent college grad was seeking advice … about how to give advice. Her organization is one that’s trying to do the right thing by giving the front line (where she is) lots of feedback AND asking for lots of feedback from them to … Continued
This was originally published on July 16, 2012 Friends, The Greeks had the most instructive villains who spoke to our human foibles. Many of their names and myths live on, and they still reveal the ways our character and leadership can go awry. Narcissus – whose name lives on – was in love with himself … Continued
This was originally published on March 27, 2011 Friends, If you’ve been with me the past few weeks, you know I’ve been writing about the notion of “presence.” I’ve been suggesting that we can understand this unusual concept, and that as “everyday leaders” we can not only understand it, but practice and develop it. Often … Continued
Friends, Almost every leader’s biggest challenge is unleashing initiative. If it’s not getting people to initiate and generate, then it’s getting people to initiate work with others. Parents, bosses, presidents, principals? They’re all trying to light fires and increase people’s capacity to work together and work out problems. What’s THE biggest obstacle to people … Continued
Ivana, a former law student of mine, gave me this week’s “Reading for Leading story,” while we were having a drink to celebrate numerous goals that she had recently completed. She told me how another student approached her and asked why she always has a smile on her face. She told him, “I believe Happiness … Continued
I continue my brief sabbatical with the “best of” Reading for Leading. This one is from the Fall (campaign of 2008). Although it may seem crazier than then, because everyone seems “mad as hell,” but I WILL be bullish on America until I die, because it’s a democracy, after all. I love it! A few … Continued