I don’t buy into gentle parenting, and I don’t buy into soft leadership either. Kind? Yes. Empathetic? Absolutely. Supportive? Of course. But tough? Hell yes. Mistakes shouldn’t be ignored. Feedback—both positive and negative—should come with real consequences. Leadership isn’t about hand-holding; it’s about setting expectations and enforcing them. That said, there’s a not so fine line between […]
The passing of Jimmy Carter got me curious about his life. I’ll admit, my initial take on him was shaped by secondhand opinions and headlines. “Bungler as a president,” they said. Sure, I admired his post-presidency contributions—Habitat for Humanity volunteer, Nobel Prize winner, peacemaker, Sunday school teacher—but as a leader? My verdict was: good guy, […]
On a trip to Cuba this year, I spent a day and a half in Havana with friends before boarding a boat for some fly fishing in the flats, far offshore. It was both fascinating and unsettling. Many of us, as Americans, likely have an image of Cuba that’s a mashup of cigars, rum, classic […]
In my work with leaders across various organizations, I often interact not just with the CEO but also with a layer or two deeper within the organization. Sometimes, there’s a disconnect between the C-suite and those who are responsible for executing the strategy, leading to inevitable frustration. There are two questions that, if answered, can […]
“There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.” —Peter Drucker I’m not sure if it is nature or nurture, but my natural instinct is a “ready, fire, aim” approach to life. I was that way when I was in leadership roles, and I foolishly […]
Do you have a clear, well-thought-out strategy? Do you and your team have the leadership skills to align the troops and get them fired up to execute that strategy? If not, don’t despair, but get to work!
I just talked with a talented CEO who doubled his top line in less than three years. He built the senior team he wants and “ran” his business in keeping with his values, one of which is empowering his people to do their job. Unfortunately, a private equity firm that values control over empowerment owns […]
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! […]
All the leaders I’ve worked with understand that getting things done through others is their job. The most thoughtful also understand that this happens by encouraging commitment, not control. Commitment is an emotional connection to work. Committed people are “dedicated” and “willing to go above and beyond expectations.” Leaders can count on and trust committed […]
One of the top concerns for CEOs at this point in time is political uncertainty. Biden or Trump[*]? And then there are all the downstream races, the effect on administrative polices, trade and labor implications, let alone defense spending and our position in the world. If you are like many of my clients, it drives […]