Leaders Clear the Air – first in a series

  Today a combined Reading for Leading and LeadingX2 (leading by two).    I will keep this reasonably short by introducing a topic, two steps, and then continuing next week. In any strong partnership there come times when you need to “clear the air.”  Your partner cuts you off while you’re speaking (again), or cuts … Continued

A Leadership Lesson from the McCain School

Maybe it’s not just us humans. “Monkey see. Monkey do,” we used to say to each other as kids. But as humans, we can raise our leadership skills by reflecting on those who excel at it.  The passing of John McCain has set many to ask, “just what should we take away from such an … Continued

Two Ways You Can Enlarge Your Impact and Influence

Bruce Wilkinson wrote a wonderful book a few years ago called the Prayer of Jabez. It was a self help, spiritual, business crossover that made the New York Times best seller list. It’s worth reading, and here’s the Cliff’s notes:  Jabez prayed to God:  “Enlarge my territory.” Most everyone I know aspires in some fashion … Continued

What if the Most Important Leadership Work You Ever Do Is…

…Totally indirect? I teach leadership to grads and undergrads at Cal. I think about leading all the time. I try to inspire, challenge, encourage them. I’m the show. But I’m just a coach. And I know some of these young people are going to do bigger things than I ever have. One’s running for Congress … Continued

Wo! Check Yourself

I thought of myself as confident yet humble. I suppose I was, at least as best I could be.  In retrospect…not so humble!   I remember taking a course with Ron Heifetz at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, back in 1984 or 1985. We were assigned to a group of about 9 students and we met … Continued

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