A recent trip to Cuba left me speechless for three reasons: beauty, fishing, and dysfunction. Twelve of us were on a live-aboard boat several hours off the coast for most of the week fishing for bonefish, tarpon, and permit. It was brilliant fishing, and the pristine waters (protected in part by dysfunctional policy) were superlative! […]
People fly for several reasons but most often to get from point A to point B with little energy. To accomplish this, the pilot undergoes a formal trip planning process; a climb up to a turbulence-free, energy-efficient altitude (considering engine efficiency, headwinds, drag, etc.); autopilot activation; and a relatively straight-line cruise until it’s time to […]
Some clients don’t agree with me using the word conflict in a positive light. I tell them why I disagree, which I guess is an example of healthy conflict. Addressing conflict requires consideration of two precursors. Let’s deal with semantics first. You might prefer the word disagree, oppose, disharmony, fight, strife, struggle, or ruckus. Great, […]
Narcissistic CEOs are an unfortunate, though sometimes very successful, feature of the business landscape. While approximately 6% of us suffer from this disorder, it’s more prevalent in males than females (though some believe females are catching up) and more common on mahogany row—some think 40% of CEOs exhibit significant symptoms. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual […]
“Many CEOs and leaders you meet from the outside seem to lead exciting lives,” Matt Murray, former editor of the Wall Street Journal, told me recently. “But in real life many of them are not very functional human beings.” —Peter Vanham, Fortune, CEO Daily The idiom “it’s lonely at the top” has been around a long […]
You know those people you always have a great conversation with whenever you talk? My friend Art Petty is one of those. Always upbeat, inquisitive, and creative. (He also publishes great content and creates cool leadership development programs. Look him up and sign up for his blog.) I told Art about an upcoming return fishing […]
I only coach senior executives, mostly CEOs, so you might expect that our time together is spent talking about strategy, growth tactics, increasing profitability, operational challenges, organizational structure, and financial data. And you’d be partially correct. However, the bulk of our time together is spent talking about relationships. Improving relationships, acquiring relationships, and kindly eliminating […]
There are many business growth axioms and metaphors, mostly about trees, rivers, or children. But does a business really need to grow? Can it just tread water? Can it stay in childhood? Must it keep moving like a shark or die? I’ve run into a few business leaders who aren’t interesting in growing, all in […]
I recently replaced eight porch screens. Several trips to Home Depot and I had supplies and an upgraded nailer and stapler. Between multiple cats and frequent visits from grandkids, I elected to use the “pet resistant” screen material, which isn’t cheap. I’m not usually a do-it-yourself guy, subscribing to comparative advantage (i.e., having a professional […]
A client recently recommended the book “The Ride of a Lifetime” by Robert Iger, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. It’s a fascinating story with some good lessons. One interesting subplot occurs during his tenure as COO, working for longtime CEO Michael Eisner. Eisner built a “strategic planning group” (called Strat Planning) that reported […]