Recovering Leader

One Formula to Lead and Live Better: 75+/25-

When you strike the right balance between a positive and negative outlook you lead more skillfully and live a better life, and help others do the same. It’s not magic: By resetting to 75+/25- each day, you enable engagement, creativity, good health, and reduce stress. 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 →

Leaders Make Fun, Not Stress

It's up to the leader to encourage a playful spirit at work whenever possible -- do this, and you will unleash good energy and creativity on old problems. 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 →

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 →

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 →

2013 Turbo Start: Design Your Job, Choose Your Boss

When searching for a new job or making a career change, we can tend to be "selling" when we really should be, in equal measure, "buying." Here's how to do that. Read more →

3 Fun Self-Coaching Questions to Kick Off 2013

Start off the new year in a "leader's way" by asking yourself three questions, then checking in throughout the year. Read more →

7 Powerful Ways to Know When to be Hands-on or Hands-off

Executives need to have a good sense of when to zoom in, and when to zoom out, on a problem or situation. Here you will find steps to choose the right level of involvement. Read more →

6 Reasons We Hang on to Marginal People, and What to Do About it

Recognizing and addressing your pattern of holding on to a low-performing person helps your organization, and is the right thing to do. 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 →

The Many Rewards of Spotlighting Your Team

It’s all too common for an executive to be the spokesperson for their people in high-visibility / high stakes situations. Yet it’s often good leadership to do the exact opposite. By focusing the visibility spotlight on your people, you enhance their contributions and learning, and upgrade your own ability to participate, gaining useful perspective on their solutions, ideas, and results. 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 →

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 →

Why a Leader's Emotional Impact Matters ... A Lot

“Why do I need to worry about my people’s feelings? Why don’t they automatically just FEEL like doing their best? They’re lucky they have a job! Am I there to coddle them?” These are bottom line beliefs and questions among my executive clients who tend to be more task / directive / deadline-driven. Some are thinking these things mainly when... 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 →

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 →

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 →

3 Reasons to Avoid a Directive Approach

A very senior client got feedback recently that he should be "more directive" with his people--in fact, to tell them what to do and how to do it more frequently. When contacted for clarification, that person was unavailable because they were too busy. Of course they are. Let's go with that notion. Why not be VERY directive? Because: 1. You... Read more →

8 Coaching Tips for Email Overload

It's time to work, and you fire up your email with a sense of foreboding. If you're like any of my executive coaching clients, you've received between 200 and 2,000 new emails ... since the previous day. Arggh! As if managing an overcrowded Emergency Room, you triage the new messages as quickly as you can: this one's dying in the... 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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

Making a Smooth Transition from Peer to Leader

Promotion from peer to leader is a common thing, yet can be a problem for some. It's often a feeling of apprehension about what now-former peers may think, what's "supposed to be different" now that you're in charge, etc. So here are six considerations in making this transition smoothly: 1. Determine Your Point B “Must-haves:” Carve out a period of... Read more →

When an Executive Needs More Swagger

Seasoned professionals described as analytical, cautious, or humble may plateau before delivering on their full potential as leaders. It’s avoidable, if the problem is not one of smarts or capability, but of missing a bit of swagger. Keeping too much to yourself, being too cautious or deferential, or talking about too many nuts and bolts when a blueprint will suffice... 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 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 →

Monday LeaderTip: Reaching Your True North

We all have the capacity to make the time we spend doing our work—or living, for that matter—more meaningful. Yet we limit ourselves by not really thinking about it, submerged as we are in the familiar routines of our daily lives. When we do think about it, we scapegoat our constraints or limitations for not changing the status quo. Consider... Read more →

Monday LeaderTip: Making Your A-game Reliable

It’s rare to find someone who can stay consistently fresh and fired up about his or her work. No matter how interesting or important a role you may have, complacency tends to creep in, turning novelty into routine—it’s human nature. Yet with a small, conscious effort you can turn off the autopilot any day. Start that day by recognizing that... 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 →

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 →

Ten Leader Types - Which are you? Your Boss?

Introducing Ten "LeaderTypes" from the Recovering Leader. From emails and web traffic, I’ve noticed a lot of interest in evaluating, assessing, and categorizing leaders. So you’ve challenged and inspired me to design my own, which I started several years ago. Since then, I’ve developed and revised my ten "LeaderTypes" based on more of my executive coaching work, interviewing many leaders... Read more →

Chemistry + Inflection Point = Great Coaching Outcomes

All engagements can be powerful, but significant, positive changes require coach and client to be well-matched (great chemistry), and client to be at an important inflection point in their development. Champion athletes receive frequent coaching. Similarly, the best executives and aspiring leaders -- the ones who you want to retain -- are curious and hungry for new ways to upgrade... Read more →

LeaderTip: Maximizing Your Human Capital

Leaders need to be adept at launching their people into effective, independent action. That requires selecting / retaining people who are capable, self-motivated, and engaged in the aims of the organization and its leadership. It also requires the one(s) in charge to enable them to do their best work by providing the leeway, resources, support, and coaching they need. Both... 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 →

Layoffs and Human Capital Accounting

Lessons from the Great Recession of 08-09. Many organizations like to say that their people are their most valuable asset. Yet in the real world, and from an accounting perspective, people are viewed as expenses rather than assets. This drives bust and boom cycles of hiring freezes, layoffs, unemployment, and then wasteful rehiring. The truth: you’re my most valuable asset... Read more →

Are You a Manager or a Leader: Complete Analysis of Survey Results (Final)

In June, 2009 we started taking a sharp look at the distinctions between manager and leader. I developed a 20-question online survey (“Are you more of a manager or leader?”) that's so far received 139 responses. Given the volume of info, I broke my analysis into several blog posts that cover all 20 questions. Previous posts had analyzed the results... Read more →

Stuck in D2D? Leadership: Be Present About the Future

Our recent leadership survey showed a startling 35% of "leaders" spend the majority of their time on day-to-day tasks and issues. Are they victims of current world economic crises? Sarbanes-Oxley mandates? I don’t think so. They’re not victims … they’re volunteers. Your attention is your choice, not a mandate. Let’s think about it. Imagine you’re captaining an ocean-liner. Now let’s... Read more →

Self-aware Leadership Watch: Is Your Ego Your Amigo?

Fundamentally, a healthy ego is a good thing. It serves a simple and vital function: to keep us separated from each other in our own thinking. Without it, there’d be no sense of self versus other, and I’d have no way of telling myself from you. However, a mismanaged ego can be anything from a minor liability to majorly overbearing.... Read more →

13 Things You Should Know About Company Culture / Organizational Culture

Choreographing, or at least dancing in step with your organization’s "culture" is critical to leadership. Move well with it, and it enables you to get great things done. Buck it, or be victimized by it, and it can be your downfall. What do I mean by "culture?" There are many definitions, but I think of it as the unspoken yet... Read more →

What is Self-aware Leadership, and Why Should You Care?

It leads to sustainable effectiveness . . . Today's tumultuous conditions require leaders to master speed, turbulence, and complexity, upgrading from traditional leadership competencies to new and more flexible strategies for leading organizations. Building greater self-awareness must be a high priority. Self-awareness is not a common theme in leadership literature, and the practices that lead to it aren’t easy to... Read more →

Leadership: Being in a Beginner's Mind

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few" —S. Suzuki (Japanese Zen priest, ?-1971) Certainty and effective leadership do not tend to work well together. One executive's predecessor left him with a piece of parting advice: "Just never show them you’re not sure." Under this predecessor’s watch, the organization not only stagnated,... Read more →

Think Like an Owner, Not an Employee

People who think and act like owners are happier, healthier, and more effective at work. Layoffs, dinosaur management styles, "do more with less," and constant role/responsibility reshuffles are the new "normal." And, these things certainly haven't made it easy for folks to have a sense of ownership and engagement in their companies. In fact, I had a junior executive tell... Read more →