Guest article by Janet Foutty When I began my career at Deloitte three decades ago, I didn’t have a 30-year plan. I didn’t even have a 3-year plan! As an idealistic and energetic, yet indecisive, business school graduate, I tried consulting to discover what I liked and what I was good at. After 30 years in professional services, what ultimately guided my journey within the … [Read more...]
5 Ways Aspiring Leaders Succeed in a Transparent World
by Walt Rakowich Alfred West has been CEO of SEI Investments since 1968. Warren Buffett has run Berkshire Hathaway since 1970, longer if you count the years when it was in (and transitioning out of) the textile business. And Gerald Shreiber has been CEO of J&J Snack Foods since 1971 when he purchased an ailing pretzel company at a court auction. According to research by … [Read more...]
The New Leader’s Morning Routine
Does your morning routine set you up for success? No, I'm not talking about what you do after getting out of bed. I'm talking about what you do when you get to work. https://youtu.be/i3f0HJ-bXGk?rel=0&showinfo=0 Tweet it out: How you start your day determines how you will lead all day. @KevinEikenberry … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Do More Each Day (and Still Leave on Time)
How can you start boosting your productivity today? In my opinion, accomplishing more each day doesn't have to do with some life-changing process or technology. Instead, it's about finding extra minutes and even hours throughout your work week. It's about minimizing wasted time. Here's how I do it, and how you can too. Listen closely We know that being a better listener is a … [Read more...]
Dealing With Creative Block
Two big ideas that have huge implications for you as a leader are swirling in my head. I am struggling valiantly (at least in my mind) to align the ideas in a way that briefly and meaningfully conveys them. I find myself in a creative block. Okay, here goes … Idea Number One: Leadership teacher and author John Maxwell says: Everything rises and falls on leadership. It seems … [Read more...]
7 Things You Should Have Done When You Were Promoted
You are several weeks or even months into your new leadership position, and you are struggling. You can't figure out why, but you don't feel like a leader (or your employees don't treat you like one), and each day brings challenges that you weren't quite expecting when you accepted the promotion. If that is the case, or even if you just want to become a more effective … [Read more...]
Feeling Pressure? You Probably Aren’t Prepared
Football officially starts next week, folks. Today, I will share one of my favorite quotes from, undoubtedly, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Perhaps his quote "Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you are doing" tells us why that is. Prior to retiring this year, the two-time and reigning Super Bowl Champion had broken … [Read more...]
What Do You Expect? Dare to Expect the Best
What we usually get from people is what we expect to get. If we expect greatness, we'll get greatness. If we expect mediocrity, we'll get mediocrity.Good leaders expect the BEST from themselves and their staff. Your expectations play a huge role in your own success and they also have a profound effect on the people around you.ATTITUDE - What you expect from your staff … [Read more...]
The Leader’s Primary Contribution: Discretionary Energy
I believe strongly that leaders and leaders-of-leaders (and quite a few of us consultants) are not clear enough with leaders about what we expect of them! We too often confuse leaders by asking them to do MANY THINGS: set the vision, clarify strategy, define valued behaviors, set goals, meet one-on-one, listen, embrace followers’ great ideas, redirect when required, hold … [Read more...]