Performance Choices and Horse Lessons

Nov 1, 2011 | Leadership Development

My husband and I helped a friend move her horses to a new stable recently. Neither of her horses had ever been loaded on a trailer before, so she was terribly nervous about the unfamiliar adventure facing us. She had visions of her horses panicking, bucking, kicking, whinnying for dear life, and forcibly being pushed and pulled into the trailer. Instead, one horse walked right on as we calmly talked to her during the loading process, and the other eventually walked on the trailer, without...

The Buckshot Approach vs The Bullet Approach

Sep 12, 2011 | Leadership Development, WBS

Many years ago, while on a business trip, I met with a new manager in Guatemala. She had been in her position for one month, was excited about its possibilities, and she had a great deal of energy. After years of neglect and lackluster management, her department had many areas that needed attention. It was somewhat overwhelming, but she was determined to get things in shape. When I arrived for our first meeting, she was talking on the phone, with two other lines on hold, and she was sitting in...

People Power

Aug 3, 2011 | Leadership Development

I had the opportunity to provide the keynote address at a client's annual team meeting in New York. For most organizations these events are quite boring and, to be honest, attended only by those employees who couldn't come up with a believable excuse not to attend. This organization, however, is different. Their employees are different, the leadership style is different, and their success and growth rates are different. Why? They believe in the power of their employees. I started to get an...

Could Your Company Sink the Titanic?

Jul 7, 2011 | Leadership Development

There is a great analogy for businesses that, over the years, I have shared with many clients. Its originator is unknown to me, but when a company needs help putting the magnitude of their behind-the-scenes administrative stuff into perspective, this is a great place to start. First, think of your company as an iceberg floating in the sea. Now think about the visible, above-the-water portion of the iceberg as the elements of your company easily seen by others (i.e., facilities, service or...

What Have You Learned From an Employee Today?

Mar 24, 2010 | Leadership Development

Today following a leadership training program, I learned from a client's employee that she's seriously considering leaving their company. The employee is well-respected by her peers and has delivered consistently. She's apparently tried three times to have a conversation with her Vice President (VP) about two trending operational issues, but the VP has cut each of their conversations short with an, "It's not important now" reply. This is the third time I've heard this type of comment about...