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Brief, practical pieces on leadership, talent, succession, and the hard parts of running a business. Read in sixty seconds. Apply on Monday.
Did You See COVID-19 Coming?
Did You See COVID-19 Coming? Avoiding the Curse of Cassandra In Greek mythology, Cassandra is wooed by the god Apollo, who grants her the ability to see the future. However, she doesn’t return his affection, and in true Greek-myth-godlike response, he curses her with not being believed. So she can see the future, but no…
Read the pieceHow to Lead in a Crisis
How to Lead in a Crisis Leading others through uncertainty On 9/11, I was working in Manhattan. Today, when people discuss 9/11 and New York City, everyone knows there were two planes, and only two planes, that struck the Twin Towers. That morning, though, no one knew how many more there would be, or what…
Read the pieceWorking Remotely Under the New Normal
Working Remotely Under the New Normal Some suggestions from 17 years of working virtually I’ve been working remotely with leaders for over 17 years. My work with them has been a combination of in-person meetings and meetings via the web. Working remotely/virtually has provided me the opportunity to work closely and instantly with leaders nationally…
Read the pieceCOVID-19 Book
Total Active, Fatal, and Recovered COVID-19 Cases for the United States As per Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource CenterAs at 21:33 EDT Tuesday March 24, 2020 Scroll to the bottom of the page for the full extent of the impact.
Read the pieceCommunicating During a Crisis
3 Valuable Resources Leaders are being challenged to communicate effectively under these stressful, complex, ever-changing conditions. For many, it’s their first time doing so during a company-wide, nation-wide crisis. We thought readers of our 60-Second Read would find the following three resources helpful: Communicating Through the Coronavirus Crisis. From Harvard Business Review, a 5-step framework…
Read the pieceThe Coronavirus and the Covey Matrix
The Coronavirus and the Covey Matrix Why it’s easy to forget what’s not urgent but important A great tool for many leaders is the Covey Matrix, also known as the Eisenhower Decision Matrix: It’s a great tool for leaders (and everyone else) to decide what work to focus on, and in so doing, how to…
Read the pieceAre You Okay Being Right?
Are You Okay Being Right? Trust me, I know these things… As a leader, it’s important to be right. A leader’s credibility and influence are based, in part, on his or her ability to be right about matters relevant to their role, function, and organization. But how right does a leader need to be? Here’s…
Read the pieceAre You Ready for that Promotion?
Are You Ready for that Promotion? 3 Questions to Ask Before You’re Promoted One of the happier moments in a leader’s career is when you’re promoted.And one of the sadder moments in your career is when you realize the promotion isn’t what it was described to be.So who’s fault is that?Who cares? Instead, let’s get on with…
Read the pieceAre You an Evolved Leader?
Are You an Evolved Leader? The 3 Levels of Leadership I don’t run like I used to run when I was 16. Knock on wood, I haven’t had an injury in the years I’ve been running. But I still don’t run like I did when I was 16. Notwithstanding the fact that I run regularly, my…
Read the pieceDoes Your Dog Dream of Dinosaurs?
Does Your Dog Dream of Dinosaurs? Is there a T-Rex in your future? Growing up, I didn’t have a dog. When we moved to Savannah 16 years ago with kids in tow, we got a dog. Your children provide great cover for the inner boy still inside you. We went to the local Humane Society,…
Read the pieceCan You Connect Yourself to Impact?
Can You Connect Yourself to Impact? Is your career ready for the next recession? So we’re already into February. I won’t ask about the status of any New Year’s resolutions you’ve made or ramble on about “A New Year…and a new You!” Instead, I will ask, “Can You Connect Yourself to Impact?” Why? Because your…
Read the pieceWhen Does Being a Jerk Matter?
When Does Being a Jerk Matter? When how to get the job done becomes as important as getting the job done So we’re approaching the end of the year, the time when we reflect on what we’ve done during these past 330+ days and what lies ahead. If you’re a leader, you’ll likely also reflect on what…
Read the pieceDoes Your Manager’s Shadow Conceal You?
Does Your Manager’s Shadow Conceal You? Congratulations! You have a very successful career, received promotions and pay increases along the way, and better still, your manager thinks you’re a rock star. Life. Couldn’t. Be. Better. When you ask your manager for feedback on how you’re doing she says, “Great. Keep it up.” You’re thrilled. You meet…
Read the pieceFinal Component to Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate
Final Component to Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate In the first installment of this three-part series, we discussed mastering the allocation of your time. Effective leaders know the difference between what’s urgent and what’s important, and they ensure they spend proper time on what’s important, particularly on what’s important but not urgent; they avoid being consumed by what’s only urgent….
Read the piecePart 2 of Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate
Part 2 of Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate In the previous installment of Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate, we discussed the first requirement: mastering the allocation of your time. If you’re fortunate to have lived thus far, you’re fortunate to have been given a resource you never had to pay for, and yet is so readily squandered. We each have…
Read the pieceDo You Master the Leader’s Triumvirate?
Do You Master the Leader’s Triumvirate? To succeed as a leader, you must master the Leader’s Triumvirate. What’s a triumvirate? A triumvirate is a group of 3 people who agree to work together to advance their shared interests and influence. One of the most famous was the Roman triumvirate of Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus (“Pompey…
Read the pieceDo You Confuse Perception & Reality?
Do You Confuse Perception & Reality? So which do you see? Two faces or a vase? If you said, “I see a candlestick holder”, okay, you still get a point. If I asked you, “Which is more correct? The two faces or the vase? Which is more real?”, you’d say something like, “Don’t be foolish, Dave. …
Read the pieceYou’re Not Alone: Everyone Fakes It Sometimes.
You’re Not Alone: Everyone Fakes It Sometimes. Congratulations! You got that promotion!! That job you had your eyes on for so long is finally yours. What a rush! Your partner/spouse is thrilled! Your parents are thrilled! Even the dog seems happier to see you when you come home. Life. just. couldn’t. get. any. better. So why do you…
Read the pieceFrankly, Why Do You Even Think You’re Right?
Frankly, Why Do You Even Think You’re Right? We recently replaced a 13-year-old dryer: it took 2 1/2 hours to dry a regular load of clothes. The only problem was, the newly acquired dryer took just as long. The manufacturer sent out a technician to investigate, and he solved the matter in minutes. After a…
Read the pieceWhat I Learned from Hurricane Matthew & 9/11
What I Learned from Hurricane Matthew & 9/11 In 2001, I was in Manhattan during 9/11. Fifteen years later in 2016, I was living in Savannah (but did not stay) during Hurricane Matthew. Both were very different events, with entirely different causes, and entirely different implications and outcomes. But combined, they’ve left me with a…
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60-Second Read
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Brief, practical pieces on leadership, talent, succession, and the hard parts of running a business. Read in sixty seconds.