Recovering Leader

Monday's LeaderTip: Daily Renewal

It's a great a great time to establish your direction for the year ahead. Rather than making big resolutions, think of every day as New Year's day--a new opportunity to live fully, and to realign with what has meaning for you professionally. Considering where you are today and your aspirations for the near future--do changes need to be made? Jot... Read more →

Framing My Own Year Ahead

Here are the results of my reflection, in broad brush strokes. All equally important -- so they're alphabetical: Achieve ... exceed my professional hopes and goals Awake ...be in the moment, equal time to "being" and "doing" Caring relationships ... value relationships over tasks, connect, kind, supportive Fun ...help myself and others to play, relax, laugh Go for it ...give... Read more →

2007 Framing Question for Leaders

Here's a question that will hopefully spark some reflection about the new year: "Who do I want to be in the world, and what does that mean for the year ahead?" David Peck Comments are welcome--click the comment link, below. Read more →

Simple and Powerful: No-frills Pats on the Back

Appreciation, celebration and recognition are all great leadership actions -- more is indeed better. Much has been written about them, and for a good reason. Yet there's something magical, powerful, and deeply meaningful about a private, well-timed, simple, no-frills pat on the back. Given the breakneck pace of work life these days, and the increasingly virtual ways we work together,... Read more →

Monday's LeaderTip: Refreshing Your Perspective

Emails, voicemails, meetings, deadlines, and the unexpected keep us in perpetual motion. As we maintain this pace over time, it's only natural that new ideas are harder to come by. A fresh perspective is required for a leader to guide others in new directions. The holidays can be a good time to try new practices that can refresh your viewpoint--try... Read more →

Leadership Coaching Questions for the Holidays

It's the end of the year and the holidays are upon us. Popular culture here in the U.S. is cranked up to sell products and lists of the best/worst of 2006, person-of-the-year, year in review, etc., and the beat goes on. While 2006 was fascinating, leadership is always looking forward. So for leaders, it's an excellent time to take a... Read more →

Podcast: Ending Dominatrix Democracy

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Monday's LeaderTip: Leadership and Integrity

Solid integrity in a leader fosters loyalty and candor in an organization, which motivate people to do their best work. Conversely, doubts about whether a leader walks their talk / is fair and honest / true to stated principles can de-motivate good people. Since it's not uncommon at times to get out of sync with our own integrity, it's a... Read more →

Leadership / Executive Coaching 101

I ran into a fellow coach, Craig Martin, on a flight back from San Diego last week and we had a great conversation. Craig is a very knowledgeable and experienced coach, so it was a pleasure to catch up on the flight. One of the things he said in the midst of our discussion rang so true: he said that... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Caring and Sustainable Success

Sustainable leadership requires a strong emphasis on building caring relationships. Connecting deeply with others will foster loyalty—and loyal people do their best work. While controlling managers may succeed for a time, they burn out their stronger, more independently-minded people. As a result, their wins are temporary, lasting as long as they can be "taskmasters in chief." In what ways do... Read more →

Leadership and Integrity

In our Leadership Unleashed 2006 Global Workforce Survey, seventy percent of respondents said an ethical and trustworthy employer is the most important issue for them in choosing a job, above and beyond salary, working conditions, and all other criteria. When a leader is both ethical and trustworthy, they are seen as having "Integrity." Other than the obvious signs, like lack... Read more →

Final Thoughts on the Leadership Circle Profile Tool

It seems to me that the data collected by this leadership evaluation tool on many many leaders validates the criticality of ongoing work on gaining self-awareness in great leaders. By definition, any leader who chooses to go through an insightful 360-degree feedback process, and self-evaluate by the same measures, is on the right path. After all, it's a mirror that... Read more →

When Quiet Calls

Quiet calls, and my line is busy. Caught in my familiar tide of distraction, I can't sip the perfection of this moment, as I am drinking from tomorrow's cup, or the spirits of yesterday. When I close my eyes to try and dip into God's data sea, my ripples and waves shatter the mirrored surface. Busy me rains down like... Read more →

Day Two of Leadership Circle Profile Certification

I was astounded today after the statistical review of this leadership assessment tool. Aside from an extraordinary degree of rigor, the numbers demonstrate great internal consistency and integrity, and some extraordinary correlations. In fact, with a large base of leaders tested so far, it shows a +.61 statistical correlation between overall leadership effectiveness as measured by this tool and business... Read more →

Leadership and Iraq: Rebuilding a Broken Country

We are failing in our leadership responsibilities in Iraq because we are asking the wrong questions of the wrong people. Rather than ask an “Iraq Study Group” for a face-saving way out of the mess we have created there, great leadership would design a diplomatic process to answer the question: “What is the right thing to do for the people... Read more →

Leadership Circle Profile

This week I'm in San Diego getting my certification in the Leadership Circle Profile instrument. It is a sophisticated 360-degree evaluation tool for assessing someone's leadership competencies and development areas versus benchmarks. Bob Anderson, who created this model and tool, is teaching our class -- I am amazed at what he has built and his knowledge base. I have tried... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Timely Feedback

When a project or person is operating below potential, good leaders ask results-oriented questions and listen carefully. Following up with a well-timed and concise piece of feedback can then help turn a tough corner. While rapport, privacy and clarity are all key ingredients, a good sense of timing is critical. Creating or seizing the right moment—when your message is simple,... Read more →