In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable. Dwight Eisenhower Friends, Each year at this time I find myself a little wiser, and more than a little bit more humble. Setting goals — and going back to look at them — does that to a person. For … Continued
Friends, At the vigil last night, the President said: “There’s only one thing we can be sure of, and that is the love that we have — for our children, for our families, for each other. The warmth of a small child’s embrace — that is true.” When we are parent-leaders, we know: at bottom they … Continued
Friends, Sometimes December has the feel of the late stages of a marathon. The work, like those 26.2 miles, keeps coming, and you really start to just want it to be over. Even harder than those moments late in a marathon are the moments late in an 18 or 20-mile long training run (where there’s … Continued
Friends, Can it be true? Yes! Make the holiday gift giving better for your gift receivers AND save time yourself? Sign up today! The secret comes from Joel Waldfogel an economist at U Penn who has the research to back his claim. His rationale is powerful: I may spend $25 on a lovely Haas School … Continued
Friends, This is schizo season, when all we want is to enjoy the holidays, but for so many of us the holidays feel like just one more thing we have to do. We have a lot to do: We’re grading papers, or making last minute sales calls, or budgeting, and, and, and. So, my plan … Continued
Friends, For every hundred people reading this column today, I’d bet that 99 have an emotional response, if asked, “How do you feel about singing, and in particular about someone hearing your singing?” Don’t quit on me, now. This IS about leadership. You see, singing and leadership share the reality and the metaphor of “voice.” … Continued
Friends, What a week. After all the intensity and anticipation, the election came and is gone. Can you believe TIME already has profiles of the 2016 contenders? Is that not a sign that the pace of our lives needs just a little recalibration? From a leadership vantage point, two moments stood out this week. The … Continued
Friends, My stomach has announced: the election is nearly here. My first memorable campaign was 1969, when I was in 5th grade. I could hardly sleep leading up to my dad’s mayoral election. He lost. And those stomach pains gave way to the peculiar physiological process we call crying – whatever tightness was held in … Continued
Friends, What if the things I am most sure about, I am actually most wrong about? And what if in this, you are like me? I’d say for the vast majority of my 5-plus decades – or at least starting during my adolescence – I have been overwhelmingly certain about many many judgments. Usually, these … Continued
Special 12th Anniversary Edition Guest Blogger: Jim Kouzes First the bad news. Tuesday, October 16, was not a very good day for bosses. It should have been a good day—it was Boss’s Day after all—but it wasn’t. Instead of getting congratulatory notes, candy, and flowers bosses nationally got a report card from author and … Continued