We all know that when someone describes their boss as a micromanager, it’s not a compliment. The word conjures up a vision of a person feverishly working at their desk with a scowling supervisor standing over them, breathing down their neck. Even though I just painted an unappealing picture of micromanagement, there are times when […]
SLII®: The Magic of Varying Your Leadership Style
Millions of people the world over know the massive positive impact SLII® leadership training has had on leaders at every level and their team members in every industry. If you’re not one of these people, I’d like to introduce you to the basics of SLII®. SLII® is based on these two beliefs: People can develop […]
You Don’t Have To Do It All Yourself
As a leader, do you feel like you have to do everything yourself—that you can’t count on anyone to take on some the things that need to be done? Perhaps it has occurred to you that you need to delegate some of your work. Why haven’t you? Is it because no one is ready to […]
What Do You Really Want from Your Work?
Many years ago I participated in an “Aligned Thinking” seminar, designed by Jim Steffen. One of the exercises in the program made a big difference in my life, so I want to share it with you. Think about how you would answer this question: What do I really want from my work? To break this […]
Writing Your Personal Life Purpose
It’s so easy to get caught up in our cell phones, emails, and deadlines that we often forget to step back and look at the big picture. So, as you read this, pause and ask yourself these questions: • Why am I here? • What do I really want to be in the world? • […]
3 Simple Ways to Master Learning and Make Things Happen
Years ago, a dear friend of mine asked me what my biggest disappointment was with my career. That thoughtful question motivated some real self-reflection. I realized that what bothered me most was that my work was not having lasting impact. While my books were widely read, many people were not following through on the concepts […]
3 Mindsets to Brighten Your Day
I’ve talked a number of times about Norman Vincent Peale and the positive impact he had on my life. I love this quote from him that I often read for inspiration as I enter my day: “We are here to be excited from youth to old age—to have an insatiable curiosity about the world. Aldous […]
Change Your Focus, Change Your Energy
Last week Margie and I spent a few days down in the Bahamas. During a conversation with the general manager of the hotel, we learned their buildings had sustained quite a lot of damage as a result of Hurricane Irma in 2017. His story of how the staff and management worked together to get things […]
How the Leadership-Profit Chain Works
For years I have said that profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivating environment for your people. My son Scott worked on a project with one of our founding partners, Drea Zigarmi, who heads up our research team, to learn the relationship between leadership, employee passion, […]