The following is a guest piece by Mike Figliuolo. The phrase “think outside the box” makes me physically ill. It’s trite and isn’t at all practical. But inside the box? That’s where great leaders go to get more out of their teams. You can too with a simple assessment tool … Click to continue reading
The following is a guest piece by Marlene Chism. There are as many definitions for leadership as there are companies that have leaders, yet at the core, leadership is about alignment. When we hear the word alignment, we think “walking the talk” or acting from integrity. We have all had … Click to continue reading
Over the past few months, I’ve been noticing a common thread in my work with various leaders and organizations, as well through my various speaking engagements with audiences in Canada and the US. Regardless of whether it’s the private or public sector, there’s a clear desire out there among many … Click to continue reading
Of all the seasons of the year, summer is without question my favourite. From attending the various outdoor festivals that Montreal has become renowned for, to the annual summer vacation breaks with my family, there’s no question that summer is a time for renewal and rejuvenation. Of course, renewal and … Click to continue reading
We leaders tend to focus on developing external resources. How can we make the best use of our team’s time, budget, and expertise? Yes, these are important considerations, and leaders who ignore them won’t be leading for long. But too often, leaders focus so much on external factors that they … Click to continue reading
The following is a guest piece by Dr. Alan Zimmerman. It was the most memorable line in the movie Cool Hand Luke. When the prisoners wouldn’t listen, the prison guard uttered that ominous line: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” In a similar sense, almost every employee … Click to continue reading
When I sat down to write this latest piece for my leadership blog, I realized that today marks a special anniversary – exactly 6 years ago on this date I took the plunge to begin writing my own blog. Without question, it’s been a long and exhilarating journey both in … Click to continue reading
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been writing about the various characteristics and perspectives leaders need to have to be successful in bringing out the best in those they lead. Sharing some of these insights has brought to mind a question I was asked recently following one of my presentations … Click to continue reading
Over the past decade or so, there have been numerous studies and books that have helped us to better appreciate the emotional nature of successful leadership, a fact that has helped to bring about a transformation in leadership attitudes from the old command-and-control approach to one that’s more outward-focused and … Click to continue reading
In my previous piece, I looked at an underlying theme found among the numerous issues leaders in every industry face today and what this tells us about how we can be more successful in bringing out the best in those we lead. The enthusiastic reaction to the ideas I shared … Click to continue reading
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had several fascinating discussions with leaders from different organizations and industries about the various challenges they’re grappling with within their workplace. For some of these leaders, the major issue they face is how to improve employee engagement levels within their division. For another group, … Click to continue reading
One of my favourite stories from the time of NASA’s Apollo space missions involves a visit by a group of guests to Mission Control. As they were walking down one of the building’s hallways, they spotted a man in a lab coat walking in the opposite direction and as they … Click to continue reading