Aspiring for “excellence” can lead to an inspiring environment of achievement. But it can also lead to a neurotic atmosphere of fear. I once was talking with a new team member as part of his on-boarding process, when I mentioned to him that “excellence” was one of our core values. “Oh no,” he sighed. “Not…
How To Prevent “Wise & Experienced” From Becoming “Tired & Stagnant”
In leadership, there’s nothing quite like proven, reliable experience. That is, unless all that experience slides into nothing more than mere tired staleness. But effective leaders have a curious, and vital way to keep their leadership fresh and positive. It’s a counter-intuitive, almost contradictory perspective that prevents reliable experience from turning into simply tired and obsolete. It’s…
How a Line in the Sand Strengthens Your Leadership
Have you drawn a leadership line in the sand? A line in the sand is where your core values intersect with real life situations. Several years ago I was called in to help stabilize a non-profit organization which had been in a financial tailspin. About three months into this journey the Chief Financial Officer came into…
3 Ways to Restore Sanity to the Excellence Value
Why is it that, for some organizations, aspiring for “excellence” leads to an inspiring environment of achievement, while for others it seems to lead to a neurotic atmosphere of fear? I once was talking with a new team member as part of his on-boarding process, when I mentioned to him that “excellence” was one of…
The Breakthrough Possibilities of Deleting a Core Value
If the last time you did a review of your core values was more than two years ago, then in all probability there is at least one that simply no longer reflects the current reality of your team. To prove this point, take out a copy of your team’s core values. It’s either filed away in a folder…
