Recently, I’ve had several conversations with leaders dealing with performance and behaviors that are out of alignment with the company’s culture and performance standards. The conversation usually starts with “I’m going to go ahead and make an exception this one time.” There are always valid reasons … Read more
A recent New York Times article discussed the various ways companies can grow. The list included: Get New Customers Do Business Faster Sell More Things Hire a Team Do you see what’s missing from this plan? Aside from the last item of “hiring a team,” … Read more
In the 25+ years or so that I’ve been working with small to mid-sized businesses, I’ve seen just about every type of “end.” Some good, some not so good. Let’s start with “the ugly.” One entrepreneur grew his business to about $15M and wanted to leave … Read more
A recent article in Forbes asked several experts what they did when faced with difficult business problems. Hands down, they all agreed that asking for help was a good thing. The three agreed with the following: Cultivate Relationships Don’t Face It Alone Reframe the Problem … Read more
In the 25+ years or so that I’ve been working with small to mid-sized businesses, I’ve seen just about every type of “end.” Some good, some not so good. Let’s start with “the ugly.” One entrepreneur grew his business to about $15M and wanted to leave … Read more
Which is more important for a leader, EQ or IQ? According to Daniel Goleman’s “What Makes a Leader – Why EQ Matters,” they are both equally important but in very different ways. A leader needs to be smart and have reasoned approaches to the direction … Read more
Leadership is the hot topic these days – who should be the leader? How should they lead? What is leadership behavior? All good questions and depending on your perspective, there are multiple good answers. When someone asks me about “leadership” or what type of “leader” they … Read more
I am frequently asked what makes a great leader and aside from being authentic and aligned with the company’s values, it’s hard to pin the actual traits down. An excellent read recently published in Fast Company about the traits that got you there but won’t … Read more
In order to lead, good decisions need to be a part of the equation. If you are not given enough time to sort through the options, information or data analysis, bad decisions and the consequences are usually a result. However, as a recent article points … Read more
Behind every great business is a great business culture that is tended by a good leader. They may have created it or inherited it, but they are tending it much like a good gardener would tend a prized garden. In a recent piece about the … Read more