Recovering Leader

Monday’s LeaderTip: Realism

Making a dream come true requires a leader to be realistic about expectations, resources, people, and circumstances—“situational awareness” is the aviation term for it. That means having clear standards and milestones that chart our course—and reasonable expectations about progress. When we hit the inevitable setback, failure, or unexpected twist, realism asks that we accept / forgive / and change direction... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Vision

What would a future far greater than the present look like for you? A thorough grasp of that target is critical to leadership—it provides a beacon for all to follow. Get it clear in your heart, and share it with your people. Then detach from the way it will materialize, as it will likely not happen precisely the way you... Read more →

Leadership Unleashed Announces "Leadership is..." Project

Everyone, everywhere is invited--teachers, students, coaches, leaders, bloggers, executives, stay-at-home people, writers, poets, musicians, artists are all asked to complete the sentence "Leadership is..." at the bottom of this post or by email--results to be posted on "The Recovering Leader" blog. As the U.S. election cycle heats up, leaders and nations around the world are struggling with priorities, resources, defense,... Read more →

Leadership and Detaching from Outcomes

Leaders who are overly focused on precise outcomes foster rigidity, ineffective/controlling behavior, and problems with integrity and authenticity. First, it almost never makes sense to hang on to specific outcomes because leadership is often about riding the proverbial curve ball. It'd be like a batter looking at the start of the pitch, then shutting his eyes and swinging where the... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Accountability

Great leaders credit others when things go well, and look to themselves when they don't. Others credit themselves with success, while outsourcing failure, especially those who operate from fear. Each of us has our own way of handling accountability for the consequences of our actions and decisions. True accountability transcends credit or blame; it's about taking the next right actions.... Read more →

Gratitude to CS Monitor

Just a note of thanks to the Christian Science Monitor for publishing my op-ed piece yesterday on helping friends / peers / colleagues with advice and coaching. This is the second one of mine they've published. The first one, "Bush Needs a Failure Standard for Iraq" in May was unsolicited, whereas the editor contacted me with a general topic for... Read more →

Monday's LeaderTip: Progress from Failure

Learning from failure--rather than burying it--improves effectiveness and enhances leadership. Negative outcomes can knock the wind out of the most motivated, capable leader. So it is tempting to sweep the facts or feelings into a dark corner, in order to find peace and move on. Yet denial of the lesson leads eventually to a repetition of similar conditions. Face your... Read more →

You're Paying People Too Much to be Telling Them What to do

"Why don't you just do what I want you to do!?" A CEO client mentioned that he was having trouble getting his people to adopt a new policy. After several weeks of trying, he asked "How do I just get them to do it?!" I suggested he ask them "What needs to change about this policy for everyone to get... Read more →

You're as Sick as Your Secrets: Leadership and Transparency

The tag line for my blog is "Greater Self-Awareness ... the next step in leadership." I'm not kidding. You can manage, you can lead, or you can be the greatest leader you are capable of being. The first two require commitment, the third requires the courage to face yourself and open up to others. In recovery circles, people have helpful... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Appreciation

A key difference between leadership and management is taking the time to notice and appreciate the good work of your people. Showing gratitude is a simple yet powerful way to foster strong and sustainable work contributions—and even a little bit goes a long way. It takes only a few moments for a pat on the back, a quick phone call,... Read more →