Daniel leads a team of twenty research scientist/leaders.In preparing to work with the team at their annual leadership conference, I spoke to Joanne, one of Daniel’s direct reports. Joanne brought me up to speed with the team, their group dynamics, and the work that they do. One of the things Joanne shared was: One thing you … Read more
This is a wooden box. Some people use them to jump up onto for exercise.I am one of those people.Two weeks ago, I was using a box quite similar to this one, when I caught my left hand on the edge of box as I was jumping the 24 inches on to it.It hurt, but … Read more
What separates high achieving leaders from the rest?Don is the general manager (GM) of a fast food restaurant. Year after year, he’s won GM of the year within his region of about 100 restaurants. At a conference last week, I had a chance to speak with Mike, Don’s boss and the district manager of his … Read more
How do you help people to perform at their best?One answer may surprise you.James had always been a “middle of the bell curve “employee. An engineer for a technology company, James had been a solid performer for 32 years. Solid, but never outstanding. Given his performance, James had been passed over for promotions and … Read more
Are you on a team that’s only a team in name only? If so, you’re not alone.This past week, I worked with a Executive Operating Committee (EOC) of a global pharmaceutical organization. Twenty persons strong, EOC members had flown into New York City from around the world to spend two days together. The EOC has … Read more
On a business trip to New York City this week, I stopped in at the newly opened Whole Foods Market at Bryant Park. In case you don’t know, Bryant Park sits smack dab in the middle of midtown Manhattan. It’s about as bustling a spot as you’ll find anywhere in NYC. It looked like everyone … Read more
The Miss Florence Diner, in Florence, Massachusetts is an American landmark. Literally. It’s been open since 1941, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. My family’s been going to Miss Flo’s for years. We have a family ritual where we go there for breakfast on Election Day, MLK Day, President’s Day and … Read more
It’s January. A New Year. For many companies, this means the annual rite of setting performance goals is in full swing. Sadly, some leaders are much better at setting goals than others. Over the past month, I worked with a midsize manufacturing organization to help them improve their goal setting process. In my initial interviews, … Read more
Why do kids say the darnedest things? It’s because they haven’t developed the social filters that we’re “supposed” to use. Rather than employ the more complex skills of tact and nuance, kids share what they’re really feeling and thinking: uncensored and unfiltered.This blunt honesty can be a valuable window into understanding human motivation. This past weekend, … Read more
Mark has a dilemma on his hands. He’s just published a new eBook, and wants to use it on his landing page to build his email subscriber base. As a friend and colleague, Mark asked me to go to the website and download the eBook, and give him some feedback. The book content is great: clear, … Read more
