People who exchange perspectives tend to encourage dialogue around new ideas and information. In a dysfunctional situation, a leader may do the opposite; present information without room for discussion. I was part of a team once that had to select chaperones for an international youth trip. The chairman explained exactly how the selection had been made … Read more
People who deliver structured messages prioritize organizing what they want to say, making it easier for others to understand. The poor alternative is to deliver “impromptu messages”, when we avoid investing energy into organizing what we have to say before speaking. As an “iD” DiSC style, I’m frequently guilty of that. I had been VP of Community … Read more
People who explain their rationale tend to communicate the reasoning and facts behind an idea or decision. I did some work for a nationally known marching arts ensemble, the “Troubadours”. They were led by executive director “Steve” (names changed). Steve wanted me to lead the whole 120 member group in exercises to determine the most … Read more
People who explore implications show patience in evaluating ideas to determine potential benefits and drawbacks. I stayed in a brand-new hotel recently, and noticed something odd; the bathroom door was spring loaded to swing shut. Furthermore, when I checked in, the bathroom light and fan were on and running. This meant that when I entered … Read more
People who seek counsel tend to consult with trusted advisors to help evaluate risks and possible outcomes. We’ll start with a real-life negative example: A new superintendent in a school district put forth a new program idea: SCUBA diving instruction. He had done it at his old school, to great success (according to him), so he … Read more
People who speak out tend to be willing to volunteer bold ideas, even if it will put their credibility on the line. If we hold back and play it safe to preserve our credibility, we can make mistakes. I was part of a hiring committee for a non-profit leadership position once. One of the finalists, … Read more
People who are adventurous enjoy the excitement of taking risks and are comfortable with the unknown. Caution is good at times, but not in a visioning phase. Can you name any worthwhile endeavor that didn’t involve some risk? A local community group once had the opportunity to shoot for the moon on raising money and awareness … Read more
People who prioritize the big picture tend to focus on the broad, overall view of an idea or project. The opposite of big picture thinking – obsessing about details – is critical when executing a project, but not when developing vision. I was working with a client on a long-term training plan to solve some problems … Read more
***This is the first post in a series based on the Work of Leaders process (details way below). Throughout the series, I’ll be providing real-world negative examples from a variety of settings. For positive examples, however, we’ll look at one specific case study: The Small Business Saturday initiative from American Express. Small Business Saturday has … Read more
We love big stories about exciting, game-changing leadership moments. But when you’re asked about the best leader you ever worked with, you probably don’t respond with a story or example of their biggest project or resume-builder. Instead, you talk about the way they made you feel. Years from now, people will forget the little things you … Read more