ON MY MIND: Leaders, We Can Be Kinder to Ourselves
You won’t be surprised to know that I’m my harshest critic. Often, when I return from a high-stakes client meeting a family member or colleague will ask: “How did it go?” Usually, my answer is something like: “The client was blown away by how well it went…I give myself a B.” Then I list all […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: The Team Check-in
Most high performing teams run fast and furious. Moving at that kind of pace we often walk into our meetings and jump right into the agenda. While hitting the ground running may feel productive, something gets lost: We fail to look up from our devices and to-do lists, even if for a moment, to see […]
ON MY MIND: Leadership and the Art of Subtraction
In my free time, I carve wooden spoons. The process of carving a spoon is quite simple: Draw a spoon on a piece of wood and then carve away the extraneous material. Unlike art forms that are additive, spoon carving involves incremental subtraction — gradually taking away wood in order to reveal the spoon’s essential […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: The Priority-setting Matrix for Executive Teams
Recently at a senior executive team retreat, one member of the team questioned the necessity of the two-day off-site gathering. The executive rationalized that: “We are a group of department heads paid to run our own shows. If I’m honest I’m not sure why I need to be part of a senior team, other than […]
ON MY MIND: Strategy Development- What’s the Real End Game?
Over the past 25 years, I have facilitated about 300 strategy conversations across more than 70 industries. When I think about the client organizations that went on to be most successful, one insight stands out: They were more focused on the quality of their conversation and the thinking being generated than they were on creating […]
IN MY TOOL BAG: “What’s Your Story” Cards
One of my favorite writers, Margaret Wheatley, wrote: “You can’t hate someone whose story you know.” I would add that when you learn a person’s story you can’t help but see part of yourself in them. Our stories reveal parts of us that transcend resumes and elevator pitches. They bring to light our values, beliefs, […]
ON MY MIND: Is Your Leadership Feeding the Roots?
When Linda and I lived in the state of Washington we planted a small orchard of apple and pear trees on our property. About three years after planting I began to notice discoloration on the leaves of the trees. I responded by spraying, dusting, and trimming back the deadened branches. But the problem only grew […]
WHO I READ ONLINE: Parker Palmer
In an expression of gratitude, I am sharing about some of my favorite bloggers, writers, and thinkers while taking a break from writing my own blog. For me, reading Parker Palmer’s blog often feels like I am reading a letter I wrote to myself – one that reminds me of a truth I seem to […]
WHO I READ ONLINE: Margaret Wheatley
Taking a break from writing my own blog allows me the opportunity to appreciate the writing and wisdom of others. One such writer is Margaret Wheatley (aka Meg). If you haven’t encountered insights from “Meg” before, I am happy to introduce you to her. Wheatley’s website doesn’t offer a traditional blog but it does contain […]
WHO I READ ONLINE: Seth Godin
Every now and again it feels good to take a break from writing and instead appreciate the writing of others that inspire me- in this case, Seth Godin. Seth Godin is one of the most prolific writers and podcasters I know of. That’s not surprising because for more than 30 years Seth has helped people […]