If book smarts were enough to be a CEO, any intelligent person could pull it off. However, there’s a difference between information (which you can get from a book) and knowledge. Though you see it more in the younger ages, informative incompetence (II) isn’t the domain of just young leaders. One of the smartest guys […]
Ah, meetings. Most of you have a full day of them if you’re in a senior leadership role. Be honest, wouldn’t you rather have a Rottweiler chew on your shin than go to most of them? The fact that you “own” many of them is even more disheartening! Maybe you should cancel them and see […]
I just finishing reading a book that a friend recommended, “Principles” by Ray Dalio, a wildly successful hedge fund guy who also has some interesting thoughts on leadership. One of the things that he articulates that I agree with is the challenge of “fairness”, particularly when it intersects with generosity. For example, if you provide […]
I’ve been blogging for 14 years (and written a book, of course!), and I stick primarily to business strategy, leadership and organizational effectiveness. Those are the challenges I help CEOs with, so it makes sense! There’s a topic, however, that I’ve had numerous conversations with CEOs and other executives about that’s broader than business. With […]
“I have had lots of troubles in my life, most of which never happened.” —Mark Twain If I had a dollar for every time I worried about something that never occurred, I wouldn’t have Bill Gates’ fortune, but I might have a better wine cellar. It shouldn’t be surprising that a seasoned coach has his […]
“I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.” —Richard Feynman, Nobel physicist I never took a physics class—not in high school or college or grad school. Hell, I couldn’t spell “physics”! So it’s amusing that I’m drawing lessons from people who work in quantum mechanics, nuclear fission, or […]
…the frightful rule of folly and chance.” –Nietzsche Nietzsche wrote this phrase while arguing for human “will” rather than happenstance or divine intervention to carry the day. Few would argue the notion that successful business requires good fortune, and many would argue that it benefits from divine intervention. I wouldn’t quarrel with either concept. One […]
Temperament in the corner office is something that deserves consideration when thinking about effective leadership. Unfortunately, volatility is sometimes correlated with success, but correlation is not causation. One of my best clients asked my thoughts on Elon Musk. “Brilliant carnival barker,” was my response. His was more articulate, but we were on the same page. […]
Judge a Man by His Questions “It is easier to judge the mind of a man by his questions rather than his answers.” —Pierre-Marc-Gaston de Lévis Think about your day yesterday. What questions did you face? If you’re like many busy executives, they were probably along the lines of: -Did the Western division get its […]
I loved Dr. Suess when I was a kid. (O.K. I still do!) While I don’t remember all of the red, blue and green characters from his books, I clearly remember The Grinch. In fact, I saw him a couple of weeks ago, trying to lead a company. Optimism is one quality of an emotionally […]