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Given the current penchant for throwing a team at every problem, a word of caution to leaders: For all the good a team approach can yield, there are potential traps to bear in mind. For example: • Underachievers can hide within teams. • Creative geniuses can be stifled by teams. • Team members can default… Continue reading Leaders: Be Alert to Team Traps!

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa was in town recently to address a conference. I had the privilege of being in his presence. It's not that he's an imposing figure, this winner of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize. He's actually quite short, has no swagger in his walk or his talk, and smiles easily and… Continue reading The Power of Purpose and Belief

Jack, the owner of a manufacturing company, calls me. He's ready to call it quits. "These people are impossible! They don't listen, they don't think clearly, they take things personally, they don't follow through! I've tried everything -- training, coaching, patience, threats, but they're just not getting it!" Whether you are the CEO of a… Continue reading Leadership: An Invitation to Build Character

I hear the question, in one form or another, repeated by executives in every setting: "How do I hold people accountable for positive results?" The more fundamental question is this: How do you, their boss, perceive your role and theirs? My experience with executives, confirmed in reliable studies is this: The number one predictor for… Continue reading Holding People Accountable

How does a leader lead through the process of radical change (transformation)? Part I described what actually happens when transformation is initiated in an organization, focusing on the inevitable resistance. Some readers found the descriptions discouraging and were eager for Part II! And the magic answer is: Focus on your own functioning Before attempting to… Continue reading The Challenge of Transformation – Part II: The Leader’s Strategy