Recovering Leader

Reactive Leaders Aggravate Bad Situations

The Obama Administration’s various reactions to the failed bombing of an American passenger jet on Christmas Day serve as a critical reminder of the need for leaders to respond, rather than react, to a crisis. For example, post-incident holiday air travelers were slapped with chaotic and spottily-enforced new rules based on failed terrorist Abdulmutallab’s behavior: intensified yet questionably effective screening,... Read more →

LeaderTip: Caring Connection

One’s ability to form caring relationships in the workplace is highly correlated with business results. While a mountain of hard data led to this conclusion, many consider warmth, approachability, empathy, and personal accountability to be the “soft stuff.” Such thinking, and the behavior that goes with it, only gets you to the table—it doesn’t keep you there. Developing a more... Read more →

LeaderTip: Resentment

We all feel resentment toward others at times, and leaders are no exception. It’s been said that holding on to it is like taking poison and hoping the OTHER person will die. Denying resentment only prolongs the stress it causes you. In fact, you won’t free yourself of its side effects until you let go of the wish / hope... Read more →

LeaderTip: Permission to Disagree

Fostering candid debate is critical for effective leadership. Many leaders think of themselves as open to being challenged or contradicted. Yet in practice there are two issues: 1. a significant portion of people simply tend to avoid conflict and “yes” the one in charge, and 2. the supposedly open-minded leader may have a blind-spot tendency to go on offense or... Read more →

The Why and How of Your Next Promotion

Suggestions and considerations to help you move up At its best, a promotion to a more senior level of responsibility can challenge, energize, and reward you, and enable you to accomplish something of greater meaning in your professional life. Moving up isn’t for everyone—it may not be important to you, and/or you may be happy with the level of responsibilities... Read more →

Coaching or Therapy

New / prospective clients often wonder how coaching may differ from therapy. I get the question something like twice a month, so I thought it may be helpful to address it here. I'm going to give you my take on it, with the caveat that different coaches have their own ideas about this topic, and mine simply reflect one man's... Read more →

Be a Leader of Your Calendar

Organizational cultures tend to build up bad habits of wasting time. Griped about but tacitly accepted, it results in a tremendous and enduring drain on productivity. Leaders foster it in two key ways: 1) “perpetrators” schedule unnecessary meetings or discussions, and 2) “compliers” fail to assess and say “no” to activities that don’t add value. It’s critical to recognize the... Read more →