Leaders are committed to constant self-improvement. Why use the phrase “stretching and growing?”
Because you can’t grow if you don’t stretch –
Self-Improvement
Group Dynamic Primer Chapter Five: Modeling
It’s cliche to mock the “do as I say, not as I do” leadership failure. That’s because this failure is way too common.
Group Dynamic Primer Chapter Four: Communication
If there’s one skill that leaders must master and habitually improve, it’s communication.
If you read this blog, you’ll see that it’s a pretty popular area of concern.
So many dysfunctions, productivity concerns, drama, misunderstandings, and performance failures can be traced directly to communication mis-steps.
The Group Dynamic Primer. Chapter Zero: Rock-Bottom
1996
I was despondent. Poor me. “My people” weren’t engaged. They didn’t get me; they weren’t loyal, they weren’t receptive, they were leaving me, and it wasn’t my fault. They just needed to give me more time, to get to know me…
Except…
For those who don’t get it…
Something that occasionally presents itself in the world of leadership is that there is one person, also a leader, who doesn’t “get it.”
Maybe it’s another teacher, a member of administration or your direct supervisor. They see what you are doing, they know that those you lead appreciate what you’re doing, but for one reason or another, they don’t think it applies to them. It’s usually one of the following: they think they’re already doing it, they think their team is doing fine and they don’t have the time to “waste,” or they think their way is better.
Be smart about SMART goals (shortcut included)
Last week’s blog talked about the value of vision as a leader. With vision, you have a clear destination; a clear destination can aid in motivating your team.
But with vision, comes goals. Goals serve as checkpoints on the way to your vision. But how do you know you have a goal worth pursuing?
Organizing your attentiveness
Last fall, I spent two blog posts discussing how effective leaders stay organized. At that time, I was referring to your actual to-do list, which typically won’t have the actual words “pay attention to John on Monday.” But maybe you should consider it. A colleague of mine was telling me about a car salesman who … Read more
Do Leaders “Pick on the People They Really Like”?
When I was in 6th grade, my music teacher, Mr. Jones, played us some “Switched-On Bach” – Bach performed on synthesizer.
That was pretty cool back in 1980. If you’re over 40, I bet you know what I’m talking about. It actually got me really interested in “real” Bach music; I’m a fan to this day.
Mr. Jones was a real advocate, and fed me more to listen to, and encouraged my unusual (for a 6th-grade boy) passion for Baroque music.
Until one day…
The Leadership Challenge – Happy Birthday!
Happy Anniversary to the most important book on leadership on my shelf. Not only is it compelling, research-based, comprehensive, elegant, immediately applicable, and timeless; it changed my life.
Research ought to be relevant, right? So, when it was time