Blog

What Makes First–Rate Leaders, First–Rate? We’ll quickly answer this question—and then we’ll move to the really important bit… What can you immediately do to close the gap between where you sit now and where a first–rate leader sits?   What The Research Is Telling Us Talentsmart’s recent research backed up more than two decades of studiesRead more

Here’s what Seth Godin said about “commitments”… “A ten-year plan is absurd. Impossible, not particularly worth wasting time on. On the other hand, a ten-year commitment is precisely what’s required if you want to be sure to make an impact.” That thinking, that commitment to commit, applies to any goal, doesn’t it?   A Heartfelt Commitment HasRead more

I care. I care a lot. And it’s sensible for you to care too! A friend emailed me last week and said: “2016 doesn’t look like being a good year. Our economy’s facing a crisis. And look what’s happening to the weather! That seems to be in crisis too.” I would have been demotivated by herRead more

This is a no-brainer. It takes 5 seconds, it works and it’s alcohol free 🙂 We get stressed when we imagine bad things happening in advance of them happening, right?   “So Much On My Plate”… Years ago a friend called and asked how I was.”Stressed. I have so much on my plate”, I responded.Read more

This snippet’s intention is to lift your awareness of two subtle yet crucial behaviours. When you focus on them, I mean really focus on them, you’ll be an awesome leader… Whether you succeed or fail isn’t because you’ve pushed-to-get-the-numbers.   The Key to Your Success is Whether Your Team Members Are On-side or Off-side. AndRead more

I often write about how to deal with conflict. That’s because there are so many leaders who don’t master conflict. They therefore grapple with managing their tension and stress and unwittingly stall their careers. You’ll benefit from checking out this template if you: Feel nervous when conflict strikes, or Find yourself side-stepping hard-to-handle, difficult situations,Read more

To be frank, I’m amazed at how many people step around difficulties. Even some otherwise impressive leaders are doing it.Don’t get me wrong. I’m not encouraging you to be too challenging or to take a win/lose approach. My problem is that way too many leaders are putting their head in the sand and pretending theRead more

Scripting how a leader can influence-someone-to-do-something is the norm in my office. It’s a topic that’s put on the coaching table almost everyday. And the success rate of these leaders when they leave my office is so impressive. (I love this stuff!) Let’s look at the crucial foundation stones of this success… The Most ImportantRead more

You want a promotion. You want to meet targets. You want acknowledgement for your work. Because you think it’ll make you feel happy.And it will, but only fleetingly.So before you know it, you’re chasing your next goal in the hope that it’ll have you feeling happy and positive!Again it will, but only fleetingly—and then you’reRead more

In a 360-feedback interview a team member described his leader as being inconsiderate and unreasonable. He went on to say that when his leader was overwhelmed and overstressed, the leader had a “very short fuse”. Further investigations with other team members told a similar story: They felt devalued and disrespected because their leader was sometimesRead more

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an “Audit & Strengthen Your Leadership” survey. It gave you an opportunity to scrutinise your leadership and intensify your effectiveness. I’ve received a great response to the survey. And I’ve noticed some thought–provoking patterns. Let’s have a look at a summary of the responses before we take a birds-eyeRead more

Will you spend a few minutes with me, now, scrutinising your leadership practices and behaviours? You’ll get massive clarity on your leadership assets and potential danger areas. That will lead you to: Getting more juice from the lemon (your team) Reducing stress (your own and others’) Each day, going home feeling more proud of who you wereRead more

Just quickly, before we get to 2015’s hot topics, I want to say… Whether you’re a person I coach, a sponsor of a person I coach, a business associate or a friend, I appreciate you being in my 2015. Thank you! It’s been a valuable year and I’m glad you were a part of itRead more

“How am I going?” That’s the question great leaders ask those around them—their direct reports, peers and boss. It’s their opinions that count as you rejuvenate your leadership. They know. They’re the people who’re watching you.   What Motivates Great Leaders To Ask The Question? Great leaders: Care about being an exceptional leader. Good enoughRead more

So many leaders do a fabulous job—except when it comes to dealing with the conflicts that inevitably show up in their leadership role. That’s where they let themselves down. Confidently confronting and eliminating conflicts is a crucial missing link for so many leaders. I’m going to show you how you can take preventative action soRead more

95% of leaders find difficult conversations stressful. Many leaders admit their apprehension about having a difficult discussion is enough to put it off for days, even sometimes for months—regardless of the huge costs of doing so. But there is a way to ease the stress…   How’s It Going to Be When You Get aRead more

Self-esteem. It’s a sensitive topic that, in an instant, could have you putting yourself into one of two camps… Camp 1:    My self-esteem is good, thanks very much. I’m not sure that I need this bulletin. Camp 2:    You’ve written this for me. I definitely need to feel better about myself! If you’re in theRead more

Highly zealous team member are: —Highly productive team members. They focus on achieving brilliant outcomes, faster. Their personal commitment positively impacts the way they approach problems. —The hub of high performing teams. They support and encourage one-another. They share their talents with their peers, for the greater good of the team. The team is knownRead more

One of the traps you and I both fall into, when we’re not eagle-eyed about it, is to blame others when something goes off-track. We either physically, verbally or attitudinally point our finger at someone else. We think, talk and behave as if another person is the cause of the trouble. The problem is, whenRead more

I’m going to cut to the chase in this bulletin. Please forgive me if I offend you. And please know that I am well-intended and here to help… There are lots of disturbing things about poor performance. And the most disturbing aspect by far is how common it is for leaders to tolerate poor performance!Read more