Whenever the phrases “unconscious bias,” “implicit bias,” or “diversity and equity” come up, it seems people make immediate assumptions. They think the topic is about to be related to stuff in the news or marginalized populations. Then, they shut down. Smart leaders know bias exists in everyone. No one is truly objective. Additionally, not all … Read more
The Tokyo Olympics is in full swing, and I am loving every second of it. Of course, the big news of this year’s games has been U.S. gymnast Simone Biles. Most people expected her to make history in Tokyo by standing on top of the podium six times, sporting all six women’s artistic gymnastics gold … Read more
Servant leadership is about looking for opportunities to meet the needs presented to us. So, when we have simple tasks on our plate, it’s natural to ask someone: “Would you please do that for me?” The “for me” is such a common phase, we do not think much about it. In essence, we are asking … Read more
In the latest book by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership, they share research showing who people identify as their most influential leader. Options included political leaders, historical figures, business leaders, and celebrities. However, the majority of people did not select famous individuals as their most influential leader; instead, they chose from … Read more
I get into trouble sometimes. As a presenter, I see this comment once in a while on evaluations: “He didn’t follow the handout.” My response to patterns of critical comments on evaluations is to generally take them to heart and adapt my practice so it has more impact. But not this one. Toward the beginning … Read more
Because I’m a big proponent of The Ideal Team Player, with humility chief among its virtues, I worry people might think the concept of projecting confidence flies in the face of being humble. The opposite is true, however. Humility and confidence go hand-in-hand. One way to immediately see the connection is to tie humility to … Read more
We talk a lot about creating environments where innovation and creative problem-solving can happen. This involves risk. We’re supposed to never punish mistakes; instead, we are to learn from them. However, this can be idealistic. There are times when the stakes are high enough that failure can cause serious problems, not just learning opportunities. People … Read more
I once thought I was reassuring my employer’s one tech person when I told her, “I’m pretty savvy, so I installed my own printer driver updates. You can skip my computer.” To my surprise, she responded, “Okay this time, but please don’t let anybody know. Knowledge is power, and I need to make sure my … Read more
One eye-opening—and painful!—part of Multipliers detailed the fine line between the Liberator and the Tyrant. Early in my career, I fancied myself a Liberator. But I was quite wrong. Well-meaning leaders can become Tyrants by creating a tense environment, which is just one step away from an intense environment. When I was a young teacher, … Read more
“What can you control?” is a coaching question so basic, I sometimes move past it too hastily. The pandemic has reminded us of its importance. Since March, I have been engaging in as many informal conversations as I can with clients and others to simply ask, “How is it going?” The answer to this question … Read more