What will you choose? Every life has its challenges. None of us are immune from daily distractions and annoyances. My friend, Linda, described these events as “lumps in the oatmeal.” We have a choice. Do we let the mundane, the lumps in the oatmeal, overtake us? Or, do we [...]
How do you change the world? For that matter, how do you change yourself or an organization? We might start by looking at our habits. Many of us have been “stuck in the middle” of a company. We feel helpless when we see better ways to do the work. But, [...]
Facing change efforts—large or small—can be overwhelming. Individuals, companies, schools—we all need a little inspiration and encouragement to press on. Here are a few thoughts to consider if you are leading a change effort. How to be present . . . Tiffany Delmore suggests actions leaders should take on [...]
Every one of us interacts with and works within processes each day. Processes develop by design or by default. An organization is only as good as its processes. Geary A. Rummler and Alan P. Brache Many times, our processes work because of sheer luck—without any clear intent other than [...]
"I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." Alice in Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) Holding on to the way things are or have always been just feeds the status quo. Striving for better inherently implies that something must change. We struggle to dislocate [...]
Gratitude. The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Perhaps, the more important remembrance in the world we face today is that we are all part of one humanity. How willing are we to be thankful? How often do we make the effort to [...]
We often forget about the role of leadership teams in building culture. Organizations, even small ones, rarely have only one leader. The CEO, president, chancellor, superintendent depend on a team of leaders to facilitate and guide people in the organization. The Role of Leadership Teams Leadership teams have a [...]
Do you wish you were the CEO? How many times have you said, "If I were the boss...?" Do you have ideas to improve, but no one seems to listen? You don't need to wait or ever become the CEO. Everyone is a leader. You can start leading today. [...]
My view of leaders and leadership has evolved over time. I have soaked in the philosophies and perspectives of many people. They include but are certainly not limited to Peter Drucker, W. Edwards Deming, John Maxwell, Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, Stephen Covey, Jon Kotter, Jim Collins, Dr. Seuss. And, [...]
What if? What if we built workplaces, one process at a time, that allowed us to do many excellent things? How could instilling respect and kindness make a difference in what we do each day? I often try to imagine that workplace. Fortunately, I have worked in some of those [...]
