Recovering Leader

Self-aware Leadership Watch: Rudi's Runaround

It's been said that "anything we do is a hologram of everything we do," and political candidates are certainly no exception. It doesn't bode well that Republican presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani's reactions to various assertions about him recently tend to bring out the lawyer in him. After all, he is one. That said, it's important that he raise his... Read more →

About "Beyond Effective: Practices in Self-aware Leadership"

A number of clients and others have asked about my upcoming book, and I thought I would use this post to provide information: Title: Beyond Effective: Practices in Self-aware Leadership Publisher: Trafford, Victoria, BC, Canada Publication Date: January, 2008 Availability: Retail and Web ISBN: 978-1-4251-5325-0 Click here to be notified by the publisher via email when the book is available.... Read more →

Monday's LeaderTip: A Quiet Mind

Leaders often walk into situations with expectations, and rightly so. Yet in order to give a problem or person your most powerful and creative attention, it's critical to let go of any mental agendas, preconceptions, or other conscious distractions. The noise of you thinking, or wanting to get some points across, is in fact a busy signal cutting you off... Read more →

Self-aware Leadership Watch: Biden Bloviates; Humility Absent

"Bloviate: blo·vi·ate /ˈbloʊviˌeɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [bloh-vee-eyt] –verb (used without object), ‑at·ed, ‑at·ing. to speak pompously. [Origin: 1850–55, Americanism; pseudo-L alter. of blow to boast; popularized by W. G. Harding]" --Dictionary.com Scanning last week's events for intelligent signs of self-aware leadership yielded nothing on the plus side. But there was one red blip on the radar: I... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Strength in Mistakes

Recognizing and admitting your mistakes strengthen your ability to lead. To err is human, and is therefore a mandatory part of being a credible leader. Those who deny, gloss over, or shift blame for their mistakes simply aren’t believable among those they lead. When you admit a mistake, your vulnerability allows others to connect with you more easily. They are... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Letting People Know You

It’s critical for leaders to understand the pitfalls of keeping too much emotional distance from those they lead. When you are too aloof, people tend to fill in the blanks with inaccuracies: for example, they may think you snooty, arrogant, phony, or a cold fish. While you may have learned that it’s “professional” to keep a big distance, it actually... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Higher-Performing Beliefs

Your beliefs as a leader determine many of the key actions and results of your organization. Yet although we measure results, rarely do we measure the quality of the beliefs that produced them—and that’s a missed opportunity. For example, a leader who believes too strongly in consensus will create a culture of over-discussing and buy-in, resulting in much wasted time.... Read more →

Leadership for the Global Good: Only Self-aware Royals Need Apply

There's never been a better time for “organizational royals”—the kings / queens / princes / and princesses running the largest businesses, governments, and enterprises around the world—to take responsibility for the level of their own consciousness. Why? Times are more turbulent and complex than ever before, and the choices such royals make are having an increasingly powerful global impact, along... Read more →