Recovering Leader

How to Strengthen Your Organizational Intelligence ... And Why You Should Care

Do you work with or lead anyone who people avoid, or maybe seems to be a bull in a china hsop? They may be described as having lower Organizational Intelligence or "OQ"? Here's what you should know to help them be more successful! Read more →

Infographic: 4 "DEFT" Steps to Goal Attainment

How to Battle the Bulge in Leadership Communication

If you can say something in three sentences or less, then do it. Of course details and nuance are critical to success, but so is knowing when to keep it simple. That's where good things come in threes. While some would impose a blind-logic “rule of three” to emails and other executive communication, I think it’s best to consider these specific situations where threes that are particularly useful. Read more →

Facing and Overcoming Your Inner Imposter

Feelings of fraud are common even among the greatest leaders, and are actually signs of diligence. So unlike other developmental issues that may linger for an entire career, the fraud misconception is resolved by turning that diligence toward the practices I've described here. Read more →

Practicing Worry Management

Some believe worrying is a positive, motivating force to keep us on our toes. Worrying never made anything better, faster, or more effective. It drags us down more than it motivates us to our best. Read more →

4 Ways to Reclaim Your Leadership from the Distraction Monster

If you're like my clients, you've noticed that productivity has simply never been so entwined with distraction, and it takes its toll. Here are four great steps you can take to reclaim your time from the monster. Read more →

12 Keys to Leadership

Whether it's telling the truth, calling out the elephant in the room, or simply tackling the things you'd rather put off, here are 12 simple keys to leadership you can practice every day. Read more →

7 Leadership Strengths Are Weaknesses When Taken Too Far

If you don’t check your blind spot for your own blend of these seven strengths-become-weaknesses, you’ll be falling short of taking your A-game to the field every day, so why not give it a try? Read more →

Perfectly Positioned: 5 Habits of Great Rainmakers

Great business developers, also known as "Rainmakers" have identifiable habits in common. What are they? Let's take a look ... Read more →

Leading from the Rut: 7 Ways to Snap Out of Complacency

It’s not easy to admit you’ve become complacent, but it gets the best of us, so you’re in good company -- the good news: there are steps you can take. Read more →

How to Develop Your “Future You” Mantra

Having a “future you” mantra is an innovative and individualized way to make sure you attain the goals most important to you, and to lead in the most effective way. Read more →

You Really Need to Fire Yourself: 8 Steps to Kick the Directive Habit

Many executives are used to telling people what to do and how to do it. Here are practical steps you can take to address and change this behavior. Read more →

One Secret of High-Functioning Boards and Exec Teams

Boards of directors and executive teams that develop and maintain working agreements appreciate having clear rules of the road. Read more →

How to Eliminate “Update Meetings” And Be Glad You Did

Many executives, particularly in larger organizations, spend 80 percent or more of their time in meetings. All of that valuable time is highly effective only when used substantively. That means to brainstorm, pitch, discuss, debate, problem solve and/or decide something important to the majority of participants, relying on the capabilities and experience in the room. Yet much more often we... Read more →

4 Factors To Be an Effective Buyer of Your Next Job

Whether you’re considering an internal move, or enticed by a position elsewhere, once you know you’ve got the right skills and experience, remember that even as you’re “selling” yourself, you’re also buying. As a buyer, here are four things to consider that can make or break your ability to do your best work, and be fulfilled: 1. Buying the Values... Read more →

Leadership Lessons From Recovering Alcoholics

Fear, force, greed, and need are all tried and true ways to lead. Yet none positive or sustainable. When it comes to greatness, and lasting for the long haul, look no further than 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA. Its membership has grown into the tens of millions, fully global (since well before Walmart or even Sears Roebuck, for... Read more →

Truth About Leader Development: People Can Change

The subjectivity of change bias and the three ingredients for sustainable change. In my line of work, I’m often asked whether people can TRULY change. The short answer is: yes. The longer answer is: yes and it takes three ingredients. Before we look at these key ingredients, it’s important you watch out for your own bias. Essentially, sad but true,... Read more →

Land Critical Conversations Right the First Time

Many key discussions end with one or more people in a holding pattern. Unfortunately, it's often after the fact that we realize something was missed or left unaddressed. Whether an interview, tough discussion, sales opportunity, executive team or board meeting—the many variables in the room (personalities, agendas, politics, etc.) can take you off course, diverting you from your main objective(s).... Read more →

Over-thinking Challenging Situations

The outcome you achieve after facing a challenging situation—for better or worse—is limited by your assumptions or “story” going into it. In fact, walking into almost any potentially difficult conversation, our understanding is at best incomplete, no matter how much forethought we’ve given it. It’s human nature to prepare for what may be difficult, particularly if we are under normal... Read more →

Listening to Your Struggle’s Message

In Western culture we tend to think anything worthwhile should be difficult. Along those lines, it’s easy to miss when a struggle is trying to tell you that it’s time for a change. Fixated on our goal, we soldier on, trying ever harder. Then, exhausted, we see in hindsight that the signs were reading, “I need a change” all along.... Read more →

Approachability's Pragmatic Leadership Advantages

Being seen as “warm and fuzzy” is not needed to lead effectively. Yet leaders with higher levels of approachability achieve better outcomes than their pricklier colleagues, because they receive more information. No matter how well-intentioned they may be, execs that are introverted, intimidating, harsh, or dismissive—or just short on relational graces—make those around them hesitant to come forward. That shuts... Read more →

Excellence in Leadership Means Being Savvy in Four Systems

Achieving, Relating, Culture, and Influencing: these four “systems” silently but surely surround us in any organization. Understanding each of them is key to maximizing your own contributions as a leader. I share this because most of the feedback I hear on the up-front interviews I do about executive clients falls into one or more of these areas. If I did... Read more →

Reinvention and Fighting the Status Quo Fetish

Like those with power in war, politics, religion, and even charities and greater-good enterprises, business leaders share the strong human need to preserve things as they are … to tinker rather than transform. Building modestly on what is, jiggering with it, making small corrections—preserving the status quo no matter what, either deliberately or non-consciously, is the object of our desire.... Read more →

Six Simple Steps to Ensure Your Best

What does it take for you to be doing your best most days? How do happy, effective leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, workers, and athletes manage to bring their A-game the majority of the time? It’s simple: either deliberately or not, they have an index—one that acts as a compass to align / realign them to their best. Before I explain that,... Read more →

Self-test: Doing and Being at Your Best at Work

Are you doing your best work and happy at work, most days? Here’s a tool I use with some executive clients to self-assess what may be standing in the way of being at their best and happiest at work, and what to do about it. Take a look at the graphic below and place yourself in the square that reflects... Read more →

Two Quick Keys to Leading an Excuse-free Organization

Excuses and blaming have reached epidemic proportions in many organizations. It’s human nature, particularly during high-unemployment, high-uncertainty times like these for people to fear for their families and livelihoods, and for that to translate into butt-covering. Unfortunately, there’s a tremendous amount of time wasted on such behavior. It's ultimately fruitless, as often those who think they're protecting themselves are doing... Read more →

Imagination and Leadership

Couple an active imagination with a healthy amount of pragmatism, and you will move mountains. Whether you’re a facilities manager, CFO, or running the project to develop the next generation of cancer therapy, all of which my clients have done, doing your best work starts with using your imagination. What we imagine solves problems, sparks us to do our best,... Read more →

Being in the Flow of Leadership

You're in the flow of leadership when you're 100% in this moment, feeling your feelings, and 75% sure anything good can happen. Yet life has a way of distracting us from the flow. Fear, anger, strife, pessimism and crisis are everywhere in the world. The challenge is to accept--and not deny--these tragedies and not to buy into the gloom. You're... Read more →

9 Steps to a Happier, More Effective Work Life

One of the top lessons I’ve learned in my career of 26 years and counting: the best work I’ve ever done and the best jobs I’ve ever had were situations where I designed the job I wanted to do, then chose my boss. Worst were “getting promoted” into, or “chosen” for a job I wasn’t seeking, and/or working for a... Read more →

Why Winning is Bad for Leadership

Aspiring to “win” works for elections and athletic events, but not for leadership. The language you use as a leader impacts everything about your organization. The "winner/loser" approach means MY goals are accomplished at YOUR expense. In a simpler world perhaps that made a great deal of sense. These days, we need each other more often than not. So “achieving”... Read more →

3 Great Ways to Approach Failure

Some “experts” go around saying failure’s great. After all, they repeatedly mention, Edison had 999 failed filaments before the one that illuminated the first light bulb. Let's not kid ourselves: failing professionally sucks, particularly during trying times. As most of us are NOT Thomas Edison, the 10th or so filament might in fact be career limiting / bending / ending,... Read more →

Great Leaders Ask Better Questions

You're paying your people too much to think for them. Guide them to do their own best thinking, and their contributions multiply exponentially. Directive behavior does the opposite ... it shuts people your up, and shuts them down. "Why doesn't she do what I tell her to do?! " This CEO mentioned he was having trouble getting one of his... Read more →

If Only They Knew, They’d See I’m a Fraud

It’s a common belief among high achievers that they are not as smart, talented, or capable as people think they are--something they see themselves as managing to hide from others. It’s been identified in popular psychology as the “Imposter Syndrome.” When I was newly-promoted to Senior Vice President at Charles Schwab, Dan Limon, then our EVP of Corporate Strategy, gave... Read more →

10 Areas to Upgrade Your Effectiveness

“How can my organization be even more effective?" It's a great question from my clients, and one answered first and foremost as an “inside job”—that is, I suggest and help the executive to look at their own leadership choices in 10 practical areas and identify opportunities for improvement. Thinking about your own leadership and organization, how about giving it a... Read more →

Five Steps to Superb Delegating

Delegation at its best sets up capable people to do their best work for you in their own way. Low-yield delegation is command and control. Here are five simple steps to delegation excellence, based on many executive coaching assignments where I worked with clients on developing their best in this area: 1. Engage the best person or team. Look with... Read more →

Leading in Sync with Organizational Heartbeat

Organizations--like people--have a heartbeat that speeds up, slows down, and rests at a certain rate. Put your finger on that pulse and lead according to what you discover. You gain greater precicison about what's needed, how to be at your best as a leader, and how to help your colleagues do the same. It's a powerful practice--and surpisingly uncommon--to be... Read more →

Doing Your Best / Best You Can Do

EVERYONE is doing the best they can do, all the time. How you think about others—strangers, friends, family, people providing you services—sets the stage for what comes next between you, for better or worse, in every moment of your life. Thinking about particular colleagues, directs, boss, or others in your organization—or even people in your life—you may laugh at my... Read more →

Not Quite Ready to Let Go and Delegate? 5 Steps for Controlling Leaders

It’s clear that a controlling personality and the willingness to delegate tend to work against each other. As a young COO, I wanted to do too much myself, and that marginalized my own value, and that of my people. I knew it, but at the time, didn’t know what to do about it. These days, in my work with executive... Read more →

Younger Executives: Don’t Marginalize Yourself Around VIP's

It’s not uncommon for an executive to compare themselves to the level of accomplishment, authority, or pay-grade of others around them, and self-discount accordingly. Yet despite what they may think, their value to the organization is constant. One C-level executive put it well. She said, “When so-and-so is in the room, I tend to be more deferential and careful about... Read more →

Leadership and Complexity: Think Like a Child

Leadership requires the simplest thinking and actions when facing the most complex dilemmas. In fact, imagine a four year old facing your most pressing business or organizational issue. It would be worth it if they did. Wielding the sensibility of a young, inquiring mind (the average four year old asks 450 questions per day) is a canny and refreshing way... Read more →

Leadership and Fun on the Job

Peak professional experiences are often described as “constructive play.” If you’re hoping for the best from your people, promoting some fun on the job is well worthwhile. Leaders who believe work can't or shouldn't be enjoyable create an atmosphere of indifference and stress. Who wants that day in and day out? Encourage a playful spirit when possible and you unleash... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: Is Risk Managing You?

Venturing into new and risky territory is great for all of us, and a necessity for leaders. Yet being bold and daring is increasingly absent, particularly among established executives and organizations. If your decisions are based too heavily on the need to manage risk, then risk is actually managing you. Everyone fails from time to time. If that’s the worst... Read more →

Monday LeaderTip: Find the “Why” of Your Leadership

Design a future that holds meaning beyond bottom lines, and you are likely to bring out the best in your people and organization. After all, nobody ever found their personal best, nor inspired their brightest people, without something above and beyond the numbers. It’s up to you to find and communicate the compelling “why” people should get behind your vision,... Read more →

Monday’s LeaderTip: What’s Your Leading-to-Doing ratio?

Daily demands create a tidal pull toward “doing” versus leading—tasks and challenges tempt us to jump in and fix, suggest, organize, manage, etc., “in the interest of time.” Yet every minute you’re driving the day-to-day is one minute with your eyes off the road ahead. Over time, this pattern hinders your ability to guide your people toward the future vision... Read more →

7 Leadership Strengths Are Weaknesses When Taken Too Far

Consider a few of the typical strengths a leader may have: maybe they're a good delegator, a great relationship-builder, results-oriented, decisive, etc. Interestingly, our strengths become weaknesses when we overuse or misapply them to the situation. That's why I often hear my clients' colleagues say, "It's his strength, but also weakness at times..." So it's important to know which of... Read more →

Monday LeaderTip: Innovation’s Challenge

Innovation—in your own life, or as a leader of others—requires an open mind, creativity, capability, resolve, and courage. Many leaders get stuck in the status quo because it’s easier than tapping into these qualities in themselves or others. Beyond that, transformative change upsets our sense of normalcy, which can be uncomfortable. Yet you need not remain complacent. When you might... Read more →

LeaderTip: Pattern of Leadership

Lessons in leadership are most evident in the mirror of our own successes and failures. Underlying them are patterns of recurring beliefs and assumptions worth a hard look from time to time. Such reflection opens them up to the revisions necessary to guide you to the next step in your development. Those who don’t spend time being schooled by yesterday’s... Read more →

LeaderTip: Leadership in Fallibility

We all make mistakes every day, and leaders are no exception. If you have high standards, you may wrestle with the temptation to deny or dwell on your errors. Feel free to visit, but don’t pitch a tent there—remind yourself that so many of history’s errors have led to tremendous achievements. Most mistakes bear gifts—a lesson, a key insight, a... Read more →

LeaderTip: High-Performing Leadership Teams

It’s not uncommon for an organization’s senior executives to call themselves the "Leadership Team." Yet frequently divisional self-interests drive their actions more so than teamwork—a lower-performing model for people at all levels of the enterprise. In contrast, members of high performing leadership teams watch out for each other, share resources and knowledge, trust each other, are brutally honest, embrace healthy... Read more →

Letting Go of Lonely Leadership

“It’s lonely at the top” is not the way of leadership. If that’s the case for you, the quality of your leadership, your life at work, and your P&L, would likely be enhanced with some work on changing how you relate to others. I’ve seen this play out in my executive coaching work with clients. Their successes add up to... Read more →