Big bonuses and skewed incentives paid to a tiny minority of elite money managers created huge pain and suffering for millions around the world in the past few years. Finally we’re seeing one of the main players, Goldman Sachs, being charged by the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission for their part in the fraud, deception, […]
Read post »Last weekend was perfect weather to clean up our perennial garden. After a few days of much needed heavy rains, the sun was shining again. The garden was springing back to life with plenty of green shoots (sadly, the deer and rabbits did chew off a few) and vigorous growth. So it was time to […]
Read post »Last week a reader asked for advice on the best way to craft a vision and mission statement for their organization. Beware! This could be a big trap. I often poll my speaking or workshop audiences and ask for a show of hands on how many participants’ organizations have a vision, values, or mission statement. […]
Read post »Spring is arriving in the Northern Hemisphere with renewal, rebirth, and new growth. Thankfully, we’re also seeing strong signs of economic growth after the most severe “economic winter” in many decades. Forward thinking organizations are now looking toward renewing or rebuilding leadership skills. That generally starts with learning and development initiatives for supervisors, managers, and […]
Read post »Much of North America enjoyed unseasonably warm Easter weekend weather that was more like summer than spring. It was perfect timing for me to get my soft top roadster out of winter hibernation and let the wind blow through my few remaining hairs while welcoming back the warm sunshine on the open road. This is […]
Read post »The Danish philosopher, theologian, and psychologist, Søren Kierkegaard once observed, “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t so. The other is to refuse to believe what is so.” For centuries, April 1 has been celebrated in many countries with pranks, hoaxes, and practical jokes. Wikipedia has a fascinating collection […]
Read post »An e-mail inquiry and a Globe & Mail article last week, converged to illustrate the rapidly growing need for organizations to significantly boost their coaching and development skill-building efforts. The Globe & Mail article proclaimed that “a growing number of employees now want a lifetime commitment with one organization.” The piece cites recent studies by […]
Read post »Chris recently sent me this e-mail putting his finger on a vital coaching and developing skill: “In your March newsletter, you reference your leadership wheel and I enjoyed reading the results of your findings as put into that model. I am currently working with a person who is in a leadership role and while he […]
Read post »I often poll my audiences to see how many work in or lead an organization that has published a statement of values. Usually about ¾ of the group raises their hands. I then ask a rhetorical question (not asking for hands to be raised) about whether those values have a “high snicker factor” throughout the […]
Read post »What does Toyota’s ongoing recall problems and Tiger Woods’ infidelities have in common? They’re both a great source of material for comedians and late night TV. They are also very expensive, make sensational headlines, and have tarnished stellar brands. But an especially interesting leadership link is how these two big news stories vividly demonstrate today’s […]
Read post »During the next few weeks signs of Spring such as March/Spring Breaks are breaking out in school districts across many areas of North America. There are also promising signs of global economic recovery – “green shots” – breaking out and starting to grow. But indicators point toward a long and challenging recovery. A key issue […]
Read post »Are meetings or conference calls a good way for you and your team to get work done or are they black holes sucking vital energy and scarce time out of your day? Many managers, project, or team leaders practice very poor “meeting hygiene.” People drift in and out, side conversations distract from the main discussion, […]
Read post »You probably spend large chunks of your day in meetings or on conference calls. That’s especially true if you’re in any sort of management, project, or team leadership role. Whether in person or using communication technology, meetings, conferences calls, or webinars are more important than ever in our increasingly complex and interconnected world. Research clearly […]
Read post »Now that the writing, publishing, and launch of my latest book Growing @ the Speed of Change is through its busiest phase, I am able to spend more time indulging my passion for reading. I generally have a novel of historical fiction, a book on spiritual/philosophical/meditation, and one or two personal growth/leadership/organization effectiveness books on […]
Read post »Positive psychology is an exciting new and rapidly expanding movement pioneered by Martin Seligman, Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Psychology and director of their Positive Psychology Center. His book, Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, is one of the best […]
Read post »We’ve heard a number of inspiring stories and seen many examples of personal and team excellence during the Vancouver Winter Olympics. “The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.” – Vince Lombardi “At the winter […]
Read post »Val Kinjerski’s engaging book, Rethinking Your Work: Getting to the Heart of What Matters is a perfect way to blend personal/career development with the Olympic spirit radiating from the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Most athletes competing at the games are deeply committed to pursuing a dream of excellence. While some have golden visions of fame […]
Read post »Last Friday we had over 500 sites log on and view my (no charge) 57 minute webcast on Practical Leadership Development for Peak Performance. During this “City Tour” of leadership, change, and organization effectiveness, I covered: • Change Challenges and Choices • Keys to Leading Change • The High-Performance Balance: Managing Things and Leading People […]
Read post »A big challenge for many organizations today is providing learning and development opportunities when many managers, supervisors, and staff are extremely pressed for time. It gets even more challenging when many people are spread out among a number of locations. Gerry Parker, Lead HR Advisor for Rural Areas at Vancouver Coastal Health, has a major […]
Read post »Hey guys! Sunday is Valentine’s Day. Have you bought your card for your sweetheart yet? The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide. That makes this day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year next to Christmas. The association has found in the U.S. men spend […]
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