Monthly Archives: December 2013
Twelve Tips to Grow as a Leader
Nelson Mandela. Source: Creative Commons, Flickr, South Africa Good News Leaders aren’t born. They grow. Yes, some people are born with characteristics that make leadership easier. Some people are more outgoing, or intellectually gifted, or quick thinking. Some are excellent communicators, or have natural self-belief. But opportunities to learn and grow dramatically outweigh all of those factors combined. Leadership is learned and developed through a combination of practice, feedback, experience, observation, intuition, judgment, reflection, and input from others, including coaching, mentoring, books, courses, and programs. Training and courses can be valuable in helping leaders grow, particularly programs that involve practical leadership challenges and experiences tied to powerful frameworks and concepts. Experience over time, especially in the crucibles of challenges and crises, slowly shapes the character of leaders. Nelson Mandela, whose …Continue Reading
The Wonders of “Pay It Forward”
iStock Photo “For it is in giving that we receive.” St. Francis of Assisi There are three kinds of people: takers, “transactors,” and givers. Each of us needs to decide where our focus will be. Takers are focused on serving their own needs and pleasures. They may be courteous about it and pleasant to be around; or they may be blunt about extracting whatever they want. But takers are exploiters. The mindset of the transactor is, “I’ll give you something if you give me something back.” It is a quid pro quo world to them, and there is nothing inherently wrong with this view. The world of commerce operates on a transactional basis: “You sell me something in exchange for this amount of money.” The mindset of the giver is …Continue Reading
Trust is Essential for a High-Performance Team
Internet Talk Radio Show with Bob Whipple and Bob Vanourek December 18: Noon eastern time Join Bob Vanourek and Bob Whipple, “The Trust Ambassador” and CEO of Leadergrow an organization dedicated to leadership development, as they dialogue on how leaders can build trust in their organizations. The Internet talk radio program, hosted by Voice America, will be on December 18 and their topic is: “Trust is Essential for a High-Performance Team.” Bob Whipple spent his career as a leader in a large U.S. firm going through extreme challenges. He is a dedicated business scholar, university professor, and leadership consultant. Whipple is also the author of several books, including Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind, an excellent book rich in practical wisdom on leadership and trust. Bob Vanourek posted a …Continue Reading
Leading with Heart and Head
By Cristina Gair “A good heart and a good head are always a formidable combination.” Nelson Mandela — In Remembrance, 1918-2013 Students of leadership should immerse themselves in the study of leaders who embody the values and actions they want to see in the world. In college, I started studying Nelson Mandela as an inspiring leader and teacher, and I have been enamored ever since. Mandela was about love, justice, equality, education, and care for others, your community, and the global community. My heart hurts as my head remembers his lessons for leadership and life. Mandela understood the importance of the integration of heart and head. This alignment of heart and head gave him the insight to lead his country despite 10, 000 days spent in prison. In his words: …Continue Reading
Leadership, Pushes, and Poetry
“Come to the edge,” he said. “We are afraid,” they said. “Come to the edge,” he said. They came to the edge, He pushed them and they flew. ― Guilliame Apollinaire, French poet How much should a leader push colleagues when they are afraid? Apollinaire’s lines above signal that a leader sometimes has to push people off the edge for them to discover they can fly. While a romantic notion, we take a different view. Certainly, leadership is often about moving out of a comfort zone. Management is good at driving efficiency in your existing place, even when people should be running for the hills. Leadership is about inspiring people to move to a whole new and better place, even if they are reluctant to …Continue Reading
