Leadership Articles

Having studied fine arts in college, I had very limited job options once I graduated. I had been working in the family business for money and had gotten caught up in a 9 to 5 meaningless routine that paid my bills. Once I was married and with kids, it just got harder and harder to focus on anything else than having a monthly pay-check to support my family. I painted every now and then but the inspiration wasn’t always there… I should have listened to my mom, fine arts really wasn’t going to get me anywhere unless I wanted to live as a starving artist.r

Research shows that a great percentage of meetings are run poorly, resulting in huge losses of time and productivity. I believe that there are three main reasons that meetings continue to leave us wanting: 1) We underestimate the complexity of group thought. 2) Few of us are trained in meeting ...

New year new targets - Or not? Now we all are back to work. Many would think: right, to improve staff performance, let's give them more targets. Think carefully: tougher targets (without sufficient resources and support) will easily lead to poor performance; poor performance compromises quality, and unacceptable quality results in fewer sales.

People are emotional, unscientific and vastly subjective. The case with management in the corporate world is no different. Becoming a successful manager is not something we acquire inheritance overnight, but the person is required to pass through severe trial and error before finding the right management style for him/her.rnHowever, easier said than done, as many things in the checklist are required to be ticked before accomplishing the purpose. Typically, we tend to copy and

Last weeks’s blog article on the 3 Reasons Employees Undermine Co-Workers, Stab Each Other in the Back and Act Passive Aggressive struck quite a nerve. I received a number of direct e-mail comments, not so many here on the blog, though. Interesting. Anyway, comments were in the vein of “Skip, this is great stuff, but what can we do about it? How do we fix this problem?” Well, the good news is that solution is simple. The bad news is, its not that easy to implement.

The most successful organizations are led by its leaders, but driven by its employees. Are you having a problem with high turnover? Are your top performers leaving in droves? Are there performance issues? The key to overcoming these challenges is employee happiness. You might think that happiness is irrelevant in the workplace but nothing could be further from the truth. Top leaders and companies care about the people and the culture they exist in because they know they hold

Stress is tricky. It drives you toward successand makes you feel good about youraccomplishments. Of course, you need stress toreach goals and protect yourself in times ofdanger, but too much stress is tough on your body. In times of stress, your brain produces steroidhormones that get your ...

Have you ever heard of the Grow taller 4 idiots product before? If you do then you already know something about it. This product is actually an e-book which comprises of some exercises to promote optimum growth in a person. The exercises are compiled to complete only one thing and that is to increase the growth of a person in inches. Some exercises are quite effective while others might seem too far fetched. It all depends on the person who would try the exercises.

If you want to be successful at anything in life then this is a must read! It is absolutely imperative that you learn how to lead yourself first before you can successfully lead anyone else. In fact, learning to lead yourself first can actually increase your ability to lead others simultaneously. How? Because learning to lead yourself first strengthens your character, and strong character is the secret ingredient to being able to influence others in a positive way. The plain and simple fact is: We all are leaders to some degree or another.

As a young African American man, I was moved to tears as I witnessed a black man become president of the United States. Even though our community has made tremendous strides in many areas, there are many areas that still require a great deal of improvement. This assessment made it difficult for ...

Leadership Leadership is an act that lead, motivate and encourage a group of people to achieve a common objective toward the company. Leadership plays an important role in social development and as this is a process in which leaders motivate and guide the followers to perform certain tasks effectively. The main characteristics of leaders are: they must be able to communicate effectively, do excellent supervision and have good listening skills. A true leader – born or made?

An integral component of the American Dream is the advancement of our skills, and progress in our careers. Moving up into leadership roles is a natural progression in any profession. It is well that the most learned and experienced move into positions where they can offer guidance to the rest of us. This is particularly true in the field of education. Below we briefly discuss a few of the best reasons for educators to consider taking a Master's Degree in education. - By earni

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday who was telling me about a new Manager within their organisation. Following a re-structure this person has been appointed to the newly created role of Area Manager and is responsible for 2 or 3 teams spread across a geographical area. The story continued in that the new Area Manager has now been in position for approximately 5 weeks and to date there has been no contact with their new team(s) either individually or c

In business, trust is a challenging attribute to master consistently well. How do leaders build a high trust environment with their people? In this article, we’ll explore the three components of building and earning high trust. nnTrust MenThere’s an old fable about a young girl who climbs a mountain only to find a snake at the top – one that can talk. The snake says, “Carry me down to the warm valley. I’m cold up here.” The girl replies, “But, you’re a snake a

The modern day worker cannot be deceived with promises of quick and easy solutions and a perfect world. The challenges we face at work are multidimensional. They are complex and demanding of both our cognitive and our emotional and social intelligences. In addition, modern day life is fast-paced with relentless waves of change. In such a world, the quality of our work and our progress is more dependent on the ability to respond effectively to situations than it is to comply with rules, regulations and standards.

I was lying flat on my back in the grassy outfield, trying to come around. I had drifted back from my third-base position for the Little League team White Sox into shallow left field to catch a fly ball. I missed the ball with my glove and instead caught it with my forehead. Someone said, “Son, you’ve got to keep your eye on the ball.” Little comfort when your head is killing you and your ego is dead with embarrassment. And you find out later that regardless of how much you keep your eye on the ball, it won’t help. I needed glasses. My focus was off.

One of the most important tools for a leader is the ability to dialogue. We often take for granted that when there are two or more people speaking together, a dialogue is taking place. Upon closer inspection however, often what takes place is instead a monologue. According to Wikipedia, “Dialogue is formed by the two words 'dia' and 'logos', which can be literally interpreted as 'to speak across', 'to converse', or more appropriately the 'two way flow/exchange' of meaning. “

Quite frequently aspiring entrepreneurs dream of starting a new business, but they don’t know what kind of business to start. They think that they must come up with a novel idea – something that no one else has ever thought of or seen. However, new businesses don’t have to be started on a completely new idea; it could be simply bringing something to your area that isn’t available right now or improving upon a product or service. If you study Sir Richard Branson, you’ll find t

I watched a bit of the last Presidential debate. Up until the point where the debate morphed into one big interruption. Interruptions intrude into political debates, marriage conversations (and other intimate activities if you have children at home), and your work flow. How well do you deal with interruptions? Implement into your work flow these three strategies for dealing well with interruptions and watch as your sales increase with greater productivity and you get out of the office earlier: Listenr

There are many ways for a leader to train and develop a workforce: teaching, coaching, encouraging and nurturing. However the one form that speaks loudest and is rarely considered a strategy are a leader’s actions. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the actions of a leader are worth significantly more. Leaders are under constant scrutiny from their workforce. They are watched to see how they perform, how they act on a normal busy day and how they react during a cri

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale talked about how a constantly bent bow will break. The bow needs pressure released to function well. Dr. Stephen Covey extolled the seventh habit of sharpening the saw. If you saw without a break to sharpen, you work harder with less production. In today’s technology-driven environment, I think of this same principle as clearing your cache. You know how your browser slows down, and perhaps your computer, if you don’t clear your cache? Recently, a week-long vacation cleared my cache. With little exception, I avoided browsing in my businesses.

Projects, of course, involve people; those who have initiated the project, the end-users and, more importantly, those who will manage and carry out the work to make the project a reality. And the success of any project depends on these individuals, which is why good teamwork is essential for successful project delivery. So let's consider how a project manager can improve teamwork.

We all know someone whom we consider – consciously or unconsciously – to possess that important characteristic known as “Executive Presence. These are the people who absolutely command a room when they enter it – they are warm and welcoming and put others at ease with their positive body language, clear and concise communication skills, integrity and ability to help others get behind a compelling vision.

Many business leaders fall into the Baby Boomer generation and are edging toward retirement, leaving these organizations with a void to fill regarding new leadership. Millennials are being targeted as future leaders and for proactive companies, as soon as a new hire accepts employment they’re assessed for their leadership potential. Most talent management experts would agree the earlier you can identify strong talent potential , the better your business, and its competitive

Good leaders are clairvoyant. They seem to know the unknown. In fact, it is such quality of envisioning that set good leadership apart from the bad. People look to leaders for direction. The better a leader can know the future, the better his following. n What about you? Are you a visionary leader? You may say that you can be one, if you have a crystal ball to gaze into the future. But where on earth can you find the crystal ball. Search no more! The crystal ball is right

Chances are this article’s title gives you a strong opinion about whether or not to continue reading. You are either in sales and want to understand your work better and therefore very interested, or you are being kind and giving me until the end of this paragraph to convince you to continue, ...

Facilitative LeadershiprnThe days of the dominating, stand-alone charismatic leader are long gone. Given that today’s projects are often costly and complex, and that group members are talented, specialized, and expensive, the charismatic leader model is something to be avoided—it’s the business equivalent of putting all your eggs in one basket. A preferred technique is Facilitative Leadership, which has been shown to be the most effective manner in developing a loyal fo

If you happen to be a member of any kind of group that meets regularly, I’m calling you to play your part in saving the world from millions of wasted hours in boring, poorly facilitated meetings! Premise Any participant in any group, at anytime, can commit a Random Act of Facilitation to ...

God's Masterpiecer Being all that God Created you to be. Ephesians 2:10rn"For we are God's Masterpiece. Created anew in Christ Jesus, so we can be all He created us to be." I lived in Manhattan's Upper Eastside about a seven minute walk to NYC's Museum Mile. This mile stretched from 82nd. Street to 105th Street. Although I was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which ran from 82nd to 86th street, I spent most of my time, every Friday, at the Guggenheim Museum on 88th.

It is no mystery why so many leaders are asleep at the wheel. These days it is not uncommon for the best and the brightest to opt for opportunities that offer more life balance. Ten years ago, a bevy of baby boomers emerged, excited about the prospects of entering senior leadership roles. A ...It is no mystery why so many leaders are asleep at the wheel. These days it is not uncommon for the best and the brightest to opt for opportunities that offer more life balance. Ten yea

My Philosophy When I read a book, I always appreciate knowing the author’s perspective and philosophy. Once I learn an author’s underlying beliefs, I am in a better position to learn from him or her. I’ve actually already shared part of that philosophy, but here is some more context. Our ...

Filling the Glass: The Skeptic’s Guide to Positive Thinking in Business by Barry Maher (Dearbo Trade Publishing, $19.95) Rating: $$$$$n n Barry Maher’s new book, Filling the Glass: The Skeptic’s Guide to Positive Thinking is a business self-help book with an edge: Chicken Soup for the ...

When I worked in Corporate America, many people carried steno pads with them everywhere they went, writing their notes from meetings, decisions made, and more. I frequently saw these people reviewing these notes, looking for ideas, clues from conversations, agreements and more. One of the ...

Next month we celebrate the birthday of our nation. July 4 marks the anniversary of the formal beginning of Democracy in this country. Each year at this time, my thoughts return to a train ride across the mountains of mainland China. The year was 1983. I was participating in a technical ...

Your customers aren’t sure what to expect from you right now. Election year uncertainty casts a negative anxiety over doing business that political ads only exacerbate. Customers aren’t sure who cares, who to trust, and who is on their side. How do you engage this adversity so as to increase sales, and get greater productivity from your team so you can leave the office early to do what you love with your family? Employ these 3 Ways to Give Positive Customer Service in a Negative Election Year: Give Carer Your customers are thinking, “Who cares about me?”

Last week I attended the annual conference of the North American Simulation and Gaming Association. I have served on the NASAGA Board for the past six years. During that time I have served as the Chair twice and our company also has pro¬duced the annual conference. Never have I learned as much ...

Yin and Yang are the key concepts originated in Taoism in the 3rd or 4th century BC in China. Yin is usually associated with feminine energy, representing the reflective and introvert facets of activities or personality; whereas Yang, related to masculine energy, is referred to strength and actions. Taoists stresses that Yin and Yang, although opposite, are complementary forces like night and day, winter and summer, and female and male. At workplaces, Yang is business activities and Yin, the emotions behind them. Four scenarios can happen: 1.

The leader of an organization is the standard bearer for what “right” looks like. He would not be in a position of leadership if he did not represent what the organization values and, presumably, wants more of. Naturally, followers seek to emulate the leader because of the prominent position she holds. However, what happens to an organization if, behind the scenes, the leader is a bad example of what the organization is about? What if the leader shines in front of his superiors yet treats his subordinates badly?

There’s no doubt it’s important for a good manager to be available. When you delegate a project or assign a task you probably go to great pains to ensure you receive regular reports and updates. I’m sure you make it quite clear that you are available if help or advice is needed. Maybe you’ve ...

Forty-four percent of business leaders at various levels and a variety of industry categories reported disappointment in the performance results of their employees, in a survey recently conducted by Leadership & Workplace Communication Expert Skip Weisman. In the survey, whose results were released this week, 70% of those struggling business leaders also believe they need a new approach to how they communicate so they can better motivate for better results.

Recently I wrote an article entitled “Have The Habits of Highly Effective Leaders Changed?” in which I set forth the 6 new habits of highly effective leaders as described in the book The Elastic Enterprise. The 6th new habit is called de-risking and it’s where the new leader responds to the global competitive economic changes by seizing radical adjacency opportunities; essentially taking the company into areas where they have no core competency. This strategy requires leader

Self-management skills are critical in enabling you to achieve goals at the workplace. They enable you to contribute towards a healthy working environment and remain focused on your tasks. With self-management skills, you can be able to manage the stress that comes with work and instead enjoy your job. The fact is, you are expected to take responsibility of everything you do in the workplace. If you are not able to manage yourself, then other people take control of you and th

I caught up with my friend the other day, the one who told me of the new team leader who had got off to a shaky start with her team (See my previous blogs post: A New Manager). Well, it transpires that this new team leader is also not that understanding when it comes to Performance Management either. It seems that she still has some way to go in her development as a manager! Now, in my experience, all leaders and managers, but especially senior ones should ‘be’ what they

Most conversations, articles and training regarding feedback is focused on giving leaders, managers and supervisors more tools and approaches for offering feedback more effectively. This is very important information, and these are skills that can help you be significantly more effective in ...

Although title, power, fame, and wealth may indicate a person in a position of leadership, that alone does not give credence to being an effective leader. This is illustrated every day in the failures and incompetence of many in positions of power as they fail to understand that genuine leadership is more about the responsibilities to others rather than themselves. The fact is that any person who impacts another is a leader. There are many who believe in you, count on you, and love you. Ask yourself:

By Frosty Wooldridge “Once there was the Stone Age, then the Bronze Age, and now we are in the middle of the Plastic Age,” said teenager Boyan Slat. “Ever year, we produce 300 million tons of plastic. Much of it reaches our oceans.” At 16 years of age, Boyan Slat scuba dived off Greece in the Mediterranean Sea to see more debris floating on and under the surface. He said, “At first, I thought I was swimming through strange jellyfish. Instead, I swam through more plastic ba

Over the last two decades I have consulted to, provided workshops for, and delivered keynote presentations on leadership to a variety of restaurant chains and individual restaurant managers. I continue to be surprised by the general confusion between management and leadership. Managers push, leaders pull. Managers try to light a fire under people, leaders stoke the fire within. Managers command, leaders inspire. Managers use position power, leaders use persuasion power. Manag

While most leaders are measured on the basis of business results, organizations must begin holding leaders accountable for building a strong and enduring culture, listening to feedback, and engaging and retaining their teams, according to a new study just released Global Human Capital Trends 2015 by Deloitte University Press. They went on to state, “Our research indicates that the transformation of the aging performance management process is long overdue.” It has been known

Whether you’re a start-up or an established Fortune 500 company, you have something in common: You want to be the best in your industry and to increase your value. Your business is on the verge of greatness. Your team is the best in the industry. But you need that special something to push your enterprise to the next level. You just don’t know what that special something is.