One of the fastest ways to lose credibility and trust as a leader isn’t through incompetence, arrogance, or bad strategy. It’s through vague communication. For the most part, leaders aren’t trying to be unclear. They mean well. In fact, they believe they’re communicating effectively. I was recently coaching a senior executive, let’s call him Dan. … Read more
Spend enough time around leaders and you’ll hear a familiar phrase: “My job is to hold my people accountable.” The phrase is often uttered with a high degree of certainty. “Holding my people accountable” is one of those phrases that sounds right, feels important, and shows up in just about every leadership conversation. But if … Read more
Empathy can be defined as showing people that you understand them and care how they feel. That sounds simple enough. But why is showing empathy—especially in the workplace—so hard? Everyone in the workplace values empathy and recognizes empathy as key to driving performance outcomes. The top four perceived benefits of being an empathetic organization are: Yet, for … Read more
Personal responsibility is the onramp to success. It’s the recognition that you are the architect of your own life, responsible for the decisions you make, the actions you take, and the outcomes you achieve. It serves at the foundation for effective leadership in your own life, and the key to influencing others, regardless of your … Read more
Over two thousand years ago, Publilius Syrus was referencing leadership when he wrote, “Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” Calm is not the first word that comes to mind to describe 2020. By all measures, this year has been an ocean of commotion. As the wave of one crisis crashes into the next, … Read more
“Plan your Work and Work Your Plan”. Napoleon Hill “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Mike Tyson Louis, a Director at a financial services company, is having a hard time adjusting to work from home. Work was demanding back at the office. Now, it’s exhausting. Louis said, “By 1 … Read more
Photo by Viktor Talashuk on Unsplash In my eighth grade science class, we took a test where we had to look at circles and try to read numbers inside the circle. The first few were easy. But, as it went on, I couldn’t see any more numbers. My classmates laughed at me. They were shocked … Read more
At its core, leadership is a relationship. It’s no secret that connection is a key leadership skill. If you can’t connect well, you can’t lead well. There are many practices to strengthen connection with those you lead. However, the most powerful is the keystone habit of empathy. Empathy–showing people that you understand them and that … Read more
Leadership isn’t about you shining; it’s about helping those you lead to shine. After all, if your success is based on the success of those you lead, it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to do whatever you can to help them excel. One of the most important roles we play as leaders is that … Read more
Do you have the humility to see where your approach to leadership is failing? Do you have the courage to give that approach a total makeover? If so, you could learn a thing or two from David Laude. In 2012, Laude, a chemistry professor at the University of Texas, was at a conference in New … Read more
