Last week I was teaching the principles and practice of “coaching” at an “executive boot camp” and these women and men were good. I asked for volunteers to give me feedback and the two who took turns were s-m-o-o-o-t-h. They complimented me first and made me comfortable before delivering the coaching that I requested. One … Continued
I got a call a while back from a founding CEO of a growing company. He asked if I would coach him. I liked him from the beginning. He said, “I’ve been an individual performer. But I need to learn to be a leader.” My best coaching clients have been the ones who EAGERLY want … Continued
There’s an absolutely deadly, yet little-known combo that can destroy the prospect of creativity and initiative, on the part of so-called followers. Here’s the math that I shared about — and with – my students, as I began a class on risk-taking on Monday: 50 students x 12 years of pre-college schooling x 180 days … Continued
Thank you to the 231 of you who weighed in on my survey on complaining last week! I am afraid I botched the design a little,* but the core data remains fascinating: People who responded guesstimated that they complain between 14 and 18 times a day. My inquiry was fueled by two essential leadership truths … Continued
The practitioners of “emotionally intelligent leadership” agree that self-awareness is a cornerstone skill to develop. I offer today’s experimental Reading for Leading with the intent of helping you raise your self awareness. I have a question, then a challenge. I’m hoping that tomorrow (when I send you a link), at least 500 people will weigh-in … Continued
As long-time readers know (and by the way, today marks the beginning of year 14 of RFL), from time-to-time readers get enthused and write back to me with better ideas than I have shared in the first place. Today I feature feedback from a friend, Bill Richards, who works, okay, he’s a judge, in the … Continued
I loved this 45-second clip of Daniel Goleman telling a classic story about Larry David, the producer of “Seinfeld,” who plays himself on the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” I thought Goleman’s telling was worth sharing in audio format: On one level, this is classic Larry David, the crazy, Woody-Allen-like neurotic. And on another … Continued
Last week I wrote about how a “field” of energy can envelope a culture. Here are the survey results — both troubling and s-o-o-o intriguing, as people selected three statements that “most accurately describe the environment, the “field of energy” in their office (or whatever milieu is central to their life: team, campus, family)”: Click here … Continued
My reading of Daniel Goleman’s fascinating book Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence has coincided this week with a powerful experience of “a field” of energy in a group. Goleman writes persuasively about how important it is to be able to change our focus, and to focus upon things that our conscious minds have never known they … Continued
Trust is the KILLER APP. A new client retained me last week. I told him I’d write up the agreement and pricing if he wanted it, but I didn’t need it. He could dump me at any time, and I’d fix to his liking any issue regarding payments. He was fine with that and said … Continued