September 2012
1 post
4 Steps To Breakthrough Ideas
An excellent article from @fastcompany
Chris Gentile a former nuclear power plant engineer turned toy maker provides a refreshing approach to innovation and problem solving.
August 2012
2 posts
Road Runner innovators will always beat Wile E....
Excellent metaphorical article using the cartoon characters to symbolize the creativity and flexibility of the roadrunner vs. the slow to respond coyote.
Great read for a Friday
The Global Leadership Summit
@leadershipfreak (Dan Rockwell) shares some of the highlights from the conference. These thoughts will inspire the leader that lives inside of each of you.
Happy Friday!
July 2012
9 posts
7 Ways to ReWire Your Brain and Become a Better...
Excellent points from @jesselynstoner
It really comes down to retraining your emotions so you will “act” and not just “react”. I especially like her point about “checking your breathing” when things get tense - excellent advice for any stressful time.
When Talent Defeats « Leadership Freak →
More good thoughts from @leadershipfreak
I especially like the summary of team player attributes - if you are putting a team together and have some freedom of choice on assembling your players, keep these points in mind.
Starbucks: There Is No Such Thing As Unskilled...
Excellent article and insight from Steve Denning. When we build a climate and culture of customer service, every employee regardless of salary is equally important to the success of our business.
"Switching off from the 24/7 work ethic"
Thoughts from Bob Dorf @bobdorf - he had me with this one, “…will anything really bad happen between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. if I turn my back on my inboxes completely?”
To think that not being connected may actually make you more productive is a bit counter-intuitive, but none-the-less true.
"Leadership Lessons Learned from Nature"
Excellent insights from @mjasmus
Connecting with nature can leave you feeling grounded, part of the larger whole, and filled with an understanding of your purpose.
Take a break from the office, and take a hike!
Enjoy
To Lead More Effectively, Increase Your...
HBR poses the question and gives what I think is the best possible response: ”the answer lies within you.”
How would you answer these questions about yourself:
“What do you do well?” “Why should people follow you?” “What have you done to earn the trust of others?
The answers to these questions are good indicators of your level of confidence and your...
"Unrequested criticism is like a drive-by...
Another great tag line from @leadershipfreak
Dan gives several tips for providing truly constructive criticism. He recently did a post on “how to receive criticism like a pro” and a reader suggested he write something for those who give the criticism.
When you read his post, take time to read through the discussion at the bottom - there are some great comments.
The Top Ten Principles for Communication in the...
David Grossman, @thoughtpartner, provides excellent insight into the evolving dynamics of communication.
Good thought provoker for the weekend
5 FAMOUSLY DISENGAGED EMPLOYEES AND THE LESSONS...
Fascinating look at 5 ‘employees’ we all know (a few that we love, a few we love to hate)
Take time to learn the gifts and talents of those who work for you. You may have a “Walt” working for you - that just needs a little encouragement. (Hopefully no “Benedict” or “Brutus”) et tu?
June 2012
12 posts
10 Ways to Encourage Discouraged People
“Leaders who lift get further than those who push down.” Very true words from @leadershipfreak
Often we find ourselves dealing with very capable people, who are going through periods of self-doubt or low self-esteem. Become the encourager, not the enabler - help them to see their value to the team, remind them of the many valuable tools they have. You will not only help them fight...
Secrets to Leading Without Position or Authority «... →
Great summary of strategies to influence others when you don’t find yourself in a ‘decision-making’ position.
1001 Mid-Course Corrections
Great opening paragraph from Jesse Lyn Stoner @jesselynstoner
“I once heard that in order to reach the moon, NASA made over a thousand mid-course corrections. At first I was surprised. If you know where you’re going, why not just set the trajectory and plot the course, like they do on Star Trek?”
The importance of intermediate goals and informal assessments is often overlooked....
When Restraint Takes You Further
Another good post from @leadershipfreak
Developing leadership in those who work for us requires a long-term commitment. Patience, support, and encouragement are the keys to bringing out the best in our staff.
Leadership Begins at Home
Great post from @MichaelHyatt
A great irony of life, why some who show good leadership skills in one arena, find that they struggle with leadership in another.
We believe that once you understand the true fundamentals of leadership - where your energy originates, you will be able to lead in any situation.
http://tinyurl.com/7a6or9r
WatchThe Importance of Play to Innovation - TED talk from Dr. Stuart Brown
Even though this is a few years old, amazing insight into the dynamics of innovation and the importance of play in our development.
What Do Frogs Have To Do with Leadership & Goals?
I know, I’m a sucker for a great title - and yes this one really made me want to find out the answer -
Well written article linking intention with action from @ChristinaHaxton
No, I will not give away the punchline - you just have to read it for yourself.
http://sustainable-leaders.com/leadership_goals/
Leadership Tip: It's How You Act, Not Your...
Excellent clip showing John P Kotter and Pat Kormier discussing the role of leadership within an organization. The stress being placed on leading from any position - not just the top.
http://tinyurl.com/cq6aejn
"Getting To Different"
In today’s Leadership Freak blog post @leadershipfreak brings out thoughts from Ron Kaufman’s book “Uplifting Service”.
One key of leadership is the ability to look at situations from many perspectives - to see things differently. To reflect, analyze, and propose new ideas.
http://tinyurl.com/7wvu9cl
Effective Communication – keeping it human
“Listen, reiterate, expand….” Great tips for effective communication in any arena from @ANTVibes. Reminds us all that communication is always two-way and requires active listening and engagement. Keep it human
Implementing Strategy through the Coalface.
I’m not too proud to admit I had never heard the expression “Coalface”, but I quickly learned those are the frontline folks, the ones who find themselves at the bottom of the slow trickle of information.
Being a hugely visual learner, I loved the use of graphics to display effective communication strategies from Kevin Dwyer of @changefactory
May 2012
33 posts
The Five Biggest Myths About Leadership
“Born or Made” the debate continues - clear & concise a great read from @ronriggio
And, we would have to agree…. “maybe a little of both….but mostly ‘made’.”
http://tinyurl.com/7bnz8a9
The last damn thing you'll ever need to read about...
Serious and humorous simultaneously - Great insights into the human psyche and the art of negotiations.
But, seriously…..how can $1.99 really seem significantly better than $2.00 - I love round numbers!
http://tinyurl.com/6tlngtq
How to Get Leadership Skills While Doing Good
As a small business owner, you obviously want to make a profit and a living - but did you really jump through all those hoops to open your doors not to also make a difference? Nice article to refocus our thoughts and priorities.
http://tinyurl.com/8ydlj7h
5 Things to Un-Learn From School
Being a life-long learner and spending most of my life in schools in one capacity or another - I was intrigued by this title. And, are there really only 5??
http://tinyurl.com/7qhfsdc
The Secret to Grace Under Pressure
Fascinating research coming out of Stanford Univ. Taking the time to reaffirm what is important to you personally significantly lessens stress. Also remarkable was the finding that reviewing your family ancestry helped to build self-confidence.
After all, we are the off-spring of survivors!
8 Ways to Create Great Meetings
More musings from the Leadership Freak @Leadershipfreak
I love Dan Rockwell’s POV….start with the most important elements first - don’t waste everyone’s time dealing with stuff that could be sent out in a memo.
Happy Friday everyone!
How Valuable Is Your Rolodex?
A nice article summarizing 3 key points to increase the value of your network from @karlstark http://tinyurl.com/chj8p8t
SIMPLICITY: It’s Not That Simple!
From
@kenblanchard
excellent article with a leading question…….. “What are you simplifying today?” Read on……… http://tinyurl.com/8y6p7rc
5 Leadership Tips You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
Of course I had to find out if I already knew these - and I did, but it was still an excellent read and quick snapshot of areas that we may overlook
Why People Don't Change
Fascinating look at the laws of change from a Newtonian POV and applying it to group dynamics -
From @BrandonWJones1
Leadership, Moment by Moment
Today I watched The Players’ Championship final round. Matt Kuchar and Kevin Na were in the final group. Na lead by +1 stroke as they started their round.
Na had struggled during the first 3 rounds with nerves but had found a way to fight through his inner demons and found himself in the lead on the last day of a major tournament.
As I watched their play, my thoughts went to the inner...
Bad is Stronger than Good (thoughts from a...
I’m a sucker for a catchy title - this one reminded me of Eastwood’s spaghetti westerns - not to mention that I strongly disagreed with the concept
Excellent discussion starter - and will get you thinking about whether you are a 1/2 full or 1/2 empty kind of person.
It also made me remember that my father was a natural born worrier. When he was told “just cross that bridge...
COMMUNICATION IS ABOUT WHAT THEY HEAR, NOT WHAT...
For those of us who seem to have spent most of our lives trying to communicate - this message has multiple layers of meaning. To some it will mean - “it’s not my fault, I said it correctly - you just need to try harder to understand” To others (me included) it a timeless truism - we all interpret the world uniquely.
If you are attempting to communicate, even the simplest...
Growing Self-Leadership
Nice article from @mikehenrysr outlining “5 steps to identify, encourage, fertilize and grow self-leaders in your organization.
"Like Sand in the Hourglass........" It's all...
From today’s post at The Manager’s Diary @ManagersDiary,
Don’t Let Timelines Slide
“Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed.” ~Peter Drucker
“It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong.” - Henry Longfellow
It’s called crunch time. These moments happen in sports all the time,...
Five Signs You're Not a True Entrepreneur
Despite the negative title - this is a great article as long as you flip each of the signs and look at them as building blocks for having a great entrepreneurship.
Following The Leader
A very insightful look at how and why many small business owners and entrepreneurs leave large organizations and strike out on their own.
The need for leadership skills is critical if they are going to be successful.
Intelligence Is Overrated: What You Really Need To...
Another title that intrigued me - and again I’m glad I read the article. Fascinating look at not only IQ - but three other important Q’s - Emotional, Moral, and Body
If You Think It And Visualize It, Will It Happen?
The title intrigued me - but this concept has been so abused by the ‘name it and claim it’ crowd I almost skipped it - glad I didn’t
Each of the points made are extremely valid and on point. When we have a clear vision of what we hope to achieve, or what we want others to achieve, we subconsciously make the tiny, day-to-day decisions that allow that vision to come true.
See, Hear, Touch… Keys to Communication Excellence
Excellent overview of NLP (neuro linguistic programming) - I know, I know….big words, but just think how impressed your guests will be when you drop those words on them at your next party!
From birth, we use our senses to define our world - Understanding NLP gives strong insight into how to work with people and guide their decision making.
2 tags
Why Your Idiot Boss Is Successful
Oh wait, that should be your “friends” idiot boss -
Insightful look at the balance between simplicity and complexity in decision making -
“The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.” ~Warren Buffett
The KISS principle really does work -
