Some days I wonder if customer service has become a lost art. The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow nursery rhyme captures my thoughts about customer service. "When she was good, she was very good indeed, But when she was bad, she was horrid.” When customer service is good, it is very [...]
How do you clear the obstacles that stop you from being your best every day? There is a way out of this dilemma. Four simple concepts can keep you on the right road. A small book with a powerful message We sabotage excellence. Harry Paul, John Britt, and Ed [...]
Stop! Stop setting goals. It is a waste of time and effort. If you know me at all, those words are nothing short of blasphemous. I have been preaching, yes, on my soapbox preaching, about identifying your purpose, setting goals, and the sheer beauty of a well-executed plan for [...]
Perspective changes everything. How can we see through the eyes of others? Why would we want to? When I can stop and consider how someone else sees the problem or lack of a problem, the new view can change my perception. Perspective or perception? Let's keep this simple. Basically, [...]
High-performing teams are not born. They are made. Humans are social. We come into the world hardwired to survive, find our tribe, and discover where we belong. The notion that you can work better alone may apply some of the time, but not all the time. “Two heads are [...]
Strong women. Strong words. Strong hearts. We have much to learn from women up close and in the world. Women lead every day. Not all of them stand at a podium or direct the machinations of a thriving business. “Leadership is a series of behaviors rather than a role [...]
The mind and heart are critical to producing significant change. Change. Where does it begin? With me, with you—because we’re all for excellence until the consequences of improvement jolt us and create discomfort. We talk about change and blame our lack of results on change. We bemoan the fact [...]
Leadership is not someone else’s problem. In this article, I propose that the responsibility belongs to each of us. The future depends on how we model the skills and attributes of effective leadership. In a recent article, Paul Myers asked, “Do We Know How to Lead?” He posed five [...]
Do you ever wonder why people refuse you to consider new ideas or accept change? A secret of good leaders will help you understand their reluctance. First, remember that an organization is a system. Managing through mental models requires a deep understanding of the system in place. All systems left [...]
Great leaders share two critical characteristics: humility and will. This article explains what Jim Collins describes as Level 5 leaders He provides a glimpse of what to look for in a leader and ourselves. When Jim Collins and his team of researchers set out on a five-year journey. The focus [...]
