Frequently, people ask me that question. Those who ask are usually witnessing me in a professional situation; if they saw me after the alarm goes off, there’s no way they’d ask that! But it’s true- if we lead, we have an obligation to give those we serve our best, and that means maintaining optimal mental … Read more
We’re just a few days past the Winter Solstice, the shortest darkest day of the year. A contrast to the holiday season, it can exacerbate hidden internal sadness in those around us. I love Christmas music. But not all of it at the same level of love. I prefer minor keys, obscure pieces, and bleak … Read more
The phrase “I don’t care” is often used to give permission. It may be splitting hairs to talk about this phrase, but this blog has often been picky about the words that we use. Words are important. Three points, in order from least subtle to most subtle: Use great caution when frustrated. I once witnessed … Read more
Sometimes people feel disconnected from us, because we come off as “too busy.” Good news – there are three words that can reverse this dysfunction. A piece of equipment went missing, and I wasn’t told about it. I found out accidentally a few weeks later, that this $75 piece of equipment had been lost or … Read more
As promised, this week’s blog is inspired by Veteran’s Day last week. These are two stories of veterans that I told at a local Memorial Day service this year. What’s the lesson? There may be more than one, but let’s lift humility out of this. No war hero brags; in fact, they share the credit … Read more
When I was young teacher, I often found myself in the middle of student disputes. My response was always something along the lines of, “You need to learn how to solve your own problems.” I was thinking I was doing them a service by empowering them grow up and solve problems on their own. In … Read more
These are the posts that have gotten the most comments over the last year. Please comment yourself to keep the discussion going! Effective Leaders Stand Out (part two) Why “Tabatha” smokes “Boss”… What three things make the biggest difference? (part one) Effective Leaders Stand Out (part one) Things successful leaders avoid saying (Part 1) The … Read more
Here we are at Avonlea Village (for you Anne of Green Gables fans) on our last trip to Canada in 2009. As I wrote this, I was preparing for family vacation to Manitoba. Yes, that’s right, Manitoba. That’s where we were when this was going to get published on June 29. Unfortunately, I goofed up … Read more
Are you new to a leadership position, and you’ve found this blog? Here are the top five posts with relevance to new leaders. By the way, please share this with any new leaders in your life! Positive leadership isn’t the same thing as “soft” leadership What three things make the biggest difference? (part one) What … Read more
Some of us enjoy the tidy list. Nice to have as a touchstone, though if we’re serious, we’ll dig deeper. Regardless, here are two for your consideration. The first is seminal for me — the summarization of the far-reaching work of Kouzes and Posner. The second is the one that summarizes the Group Dynamic leadership curriculum. … Read more