Clarity
The Link Between Attention and Excellence
As I think about what makes a leader excellent, one of the more important factors has to be the ability to focus attention on the right things at the right time. Getting in the way for many leaders is the dramatic rise in distractions, as emerging technologies tether us to our devices and continuously interrupt… Continue Reading The Link Between Attention and Excellence
Read MoreWho We Are Makes a Difference
The world has lost a great leader. With the passing of Nelson Mandela, we are reminded of the incredible sacrifices often required of true leadership. I remember first learning of Nelson Mandela when I was in college. At the time, Mandela was imprisoned at Robben Island, then South Africa’s Alcatraz. Never giving up, and dedicating… Continue Reading Who We Are Makes a Difference
Read MoreCreativity + Innovation
When I train leaders on how to increase the creative potential of their teams, we often get into a discussion around the differences between creativity and innovation. To some, the lines between being creative and being innovative are very blurred and these two processes are viewed as essentially the same. To others, there are real,… Continue Reading Creativity + Innovation
Read MoreThe Advantages of Disadvantages (and the Disadvantages of Advantages)
This past weekend I dove into Malcolm Gladwell’s newest book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and The Art of Battling Giants. Gladwell, a writer for the New Yorker magazine and author of Outliers and Blink, tells story after story recounting the advantages of disadvantages (and the disadvantages of advantages). Starting with what really happened between… Continue Reading The Advantages of Disadvantages (and the Disadvantages of Advantages)
Read MoreGreat Conversations, Anyone?
When was the last time you had a really great conversation? If you spent much of your time talking about yourself, odds are the conversation could have gone better. According to Jean de La Bruyere, a great conversation focuses much more on bringing out the cleverness of others than in showing a great deal of… Continue Reading Great Conversations, Anyone?
Read More