Friends, Here’s my Happy New Year’s wish, which is perhaps better seen as an invitation, or a taunt: LEAD YOURSELF to your best year ever. Absurd? Audacious? Well, leadership always has an element of audacity to it. President Kennedy said: we’ll put an American on the moon. Dr. King saw: the children of slaves and … Continued
Friends, Timing may not be everything, but it’s SOME thing. If I had paid attention to timing…oh, if I could take back the advice I gave to a boss, my wife, or a child of mine at moments when they were incapable of hearing it as positive…If I had only have taken the risk … Continued
Take a leap with me this week into multimedia, with a first-ever video Reading for Leading. It’s less than 3 minutes in length, but I think you’ll like the point. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think of both the medium and the message.
Dear Friends, Last week I wrote about the old male authority figure – and how we can keep what works and ditch what doesn’t. Again, as is becoming wonderfully routine, it garnered comments from readers that challenged and stretched the idea I presented. This week, I offer a very brief clarification and I renew the invitation to … Continued
Friends, The great John Tenbusch, master teacher, philosopher and maybe part madman, would grit his teeth so hard you could hear the grinding from the last seat in room 214 of University of Detroit High School. Through clenched jaw he would growl, “Damn it _____ [insert terrified frosh’s name here]. I didn’t teach you that.” … Continued
Friends, [I’ll return next week to the series on the things that undermine best-self leadership. But I’ve got to stop for this awesome holiday.] Instead of a question at the end of RFL, consider this, up front: Who is the most thanks-giving person you know? Whoever that person is I’m confident you would say these … Continued
Friends, Last week I wrote about the need we all have as leaders to become aware of our judgments of others – our mental whipping boys. My point was to develop the skill of stepping outside your judgments and strong opinions and to see yourself judging. Let me exemplify this and push to why it … Continued
Friends, I finish every column with the line “lead with your best self.” This week I begin a mini-series with boundary-pushing ideas about doing that. They’re harder ideas, because they’re new – at least stuff I haven’t read much elsewhere – and hard because they demand more of you and me than I often suggest. … Continued
Friends, I can’t quite figure out what to think of the fact that Kate, our oldest daughter, was the one of our three kids who seemed to need the most coaching; and now at 22, she’s expert and forthright. I look up to her for thoughtful advice. Yesterday, she was really on her game. She … Continued
Friends, I was with a friend of mine this week who is a lifelong educator. He was working with his fourth grader on her homework, and his daughter was getting frustrated and nervous that she couldn’t figure out a couple of problems. His advice to his daughter took me off guard. “It’s okay to leave … Continued