The alchemy of good leadership leads to many products. Among them is loyalty, which is a topic we have mentioned before in terms of its relationship to high performing teams. The crux of that discussion was the hopeful intent of fostering that quality in the teams you lead and ones of which you are a […]
Category Archives: Focus on Outcomes
January
24
Out of the Mouths of Babes – A Critique of Praise
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
The effect of parenting decisions on future leadership development is a vein of thinking that has been mined previously at The Jersey. Child development researchers at Penn have long hypothesized that imbuing children with resilience is something that can either be achieved or counteracted via the parental process. In the process of looking at “grit”, […]
October
19
If I Only Had Some Courage
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Many leadership bloggers and “opiners” (like me) will often reference Aristotle’s description of courage as “the first virtue”. This statement is part of the debate about what critical human characteristics of our society (possible a Bill of Rights amendment, for example) are the “most” important. From my perspective, having one, and none other, seems a little light in […]
July
22
When To Lose One For The Gipper
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
One admission it pains me to make is that I generally hate to lose, at anything. There is something at the DNA level since childhood that makes defeat a very bitter-tasting pill to swallow. Over time, it was apparent that not everyone felt the same way about it that I did. I observed that some […]
May
05
Exercising Good Judgment
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
One of my new favorite blogs had a definition yesterday that really resonated with what can be the core of a leader’s daily responsibility. “Leadership….is nothing less than the repetitive exercise of discretionary judgment…”. Which leads one to think, is there a judgment muscle that can be trained or exercised or enhanced through the proper […]
April
28
First Rule of Bossing – Do No Harm
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Stanford professor Robert Sutton is well known for his theories on management and business, with over a dozen books to his credit. His most popular work is about being civil in the workplace, which at its core is about the Golden Rule. It is unfortunate that in any conversation about workplace jerks, the buck stops pretty squarely […]
March
23
Entitlement and Leadership
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
The cliché of the executive washroom to which the entitled Chief Executive dispenses access like cash is a staple of many of the Reagan-era Hollywood depictions of the corporate leader. It was (then) a perfect description of how those outside the boardroom viewed life inside. It definitely was the kind of image that was likely to strike […]
March
13
The Future of Work
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
One of my favorite magazines (not Time, by the way) had an article the other day which started some thoughts flowing about the overall concept of leadership. Although the article never mentions the words “leadership”, the author, David Lewis, is an accomplished author and speaker who frequently lectures on the overall importance of leadership to […]
March
09
What’s in a Leadership Culture?
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
We have spent a great deal of time discussing important matters of personal leadership behavior, how to demonstrate it, who benefits, and why. This gives rise to wondering how many leaders committed to their art are practicing it in an atmosphere akin to the wilderness? Seriously, if you are alone on your team in having an interest in this […]
March
07
How (and When) To Disagree With The Boss
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
There are several common pieces of DNA in every person who tends toward the leadership path in life. One of those common elements is a confidence in one’s own opinion or abilities that under the best of circumstances, can translate into the courage to seize opportunities as they occur, or make bold decisions when others hesitate. All good, […]
February
10
The Vision Thing – Motivating Others
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
There is an oft-quoted parable used to illustrate how vision translates down to the team. It centers around three stonemasons working at a job site who are asked what they are doing by a visitor. The first one, sweat pouring from his brow, grumpily replies that he is “cutting stone.” The second stonemason sighs, and says […]
Reality…What A Concept
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
There are many stories in and around the workplace, but none are arguably more frustrating to the new leader than inheriting the narratives of all your teammates. Cy Wakeman, author of “Reality-Based Leadership” argues that drama is emotionally expensive for all concerned. As both leader and a peer within your own team, you will find […]
Of Swamps and Alligators… – Focusing On Outcomes
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
A couple of posts at Leadership Freak made me recall the old bromide that “when you are up to your neck in alligators, it is of little use to contemplate that you had originally intended to drain the swamp.” There are probably a few ways to interpret this thought but the theme appears to be […]
What Color is Your Marshmallow? – Lead With Maturity and Passion
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Richard Bolles classic 1970 career advice book “What Color is Your Parachute?”, has provided over 40 years of job seekers with sage wisdom in the art of marketing you and your skills towards a successful job search. It is consistently listed as one of the Top 5 career advice books. In many ways, Bolles’ theories […]
Yes…you are a Rocket Scientist – Research and Leadership Effectiveness
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
>People who lead have fascinated social scientists for over a century, which has led to more research than you can read in a single sitting. The most critical finding about leadership is that it is both a science and an art. There are clear findings about what works but equally clear findings that knowing what […]
Starting Over With Someone – Managing Conflict
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
So, your boss/coworker/employee drives you crazy? Dread the email or phone call you know will come on Monday, or after you sent out a communication? Are there certain situations you avoid because of “what happened before”? Over at “Leadership Freak”, Dan Rockwell identifies the biggest obstacle to starting over with someone whom you have crossed […]
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