Posts Tagged ‘Character’
Mark Cole: Character – Your Most Important Asset
Character is every leader’s most important asset. And like any good asset, it can be developed. With each choice that you make, you are creating your character. To bend the truth, or to bear the weight of it? To avoid the pain, or to persevere through it? To seek comfort, or to seek growth? Adversity…
Read MoreBefore You Share, Ask Yourself: Do I Want Accountability or Approval?
Imagine you’re sitting in a meeting, and a thought suddenly pops into your head. It’s a smart insight, and you’re tempted to interrupt things in order to interject. You look around the table, wondering when you might get the chance to jump into the discussion. Or maybe you’re sitting at your desk, and an email…
Read MoreBecome a Leader Others Want to Follow
Today, my newest book, Leadershift: 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace, finally hits shelves in stores. Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered a copy of the book or helped get the word out through social media. We’re expecting a great launch, and it’s made possible by your help and excitement. I’m also excited for…
Read MoreDeveloping Credibility as a Leader
I recently spent an afternoon with Carly Fiorina discussing how leadership values and tools can make a difference in communities around the world. Carly and I are two sides of the leadership coin—I’m an encouraging leader who helps people discover (or rediscover) values of leadership, while Carly is an empowering leader who provides practical tools…
Read MoreYou Can’t Lead If You Can’t Stick Around: Developing Longevity as a Leader
What do Daniel Amos, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffet all have in common? Yes, they’re all men. Yes, they’re all successful businessmen. Yes, they’re all CEOs of their respective companies (AFLAC, Amazon, and Berkshire Hathaway). But there’s one more thing that connects them. Can you guess what it is? Each one has been the CEO…
Read MoreFacing the Challenge of Leading Up
Imagine yourself inside a crowded movie theater. You’ve got your popcorn and soft drink, and you’ve settled into your seat to enjoy a new thriller. After the movie starts, you munch happily away as the story takes off and begins to build. Then, about halfway through the movie, the tension mounts. The main character keeps…
Read MoreLeadership Blind Spots
Leadership Blind Spots Do you have any blind spots? …If you answered no, you now know where your blind spot is! Okay, I think most of us would acknowledge that we do possess blind spots. We assume there must be some areas where we “don’t know what we don’t know.” And we suppose that our…
Read MoreA Leader’s Portrait
Leaders vary by occupation, personality, and style. There’s no specific formula specifying exactly how to lead well. Still, great leaders throughout history share a common set of characteristics. In this article, we would like to fill in the picture of a leader for you—one quality at a time. The four features listed certainly do not…
Read MoreAssess Yourself: 3 Reminders When Evaluating Your Leadership
“True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence.” 1 Influence can make or break the success of your ability to lead well and determine the direction of a company itself. However, we too often move through the motions without thinking about ways to increase in influence. Leadership is tough. Growing…
Read More7 Factors that Influence Influence
“True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time-either to increase your level of influence with others or to undermine it.”1 Leadership is influence. Just because someone has a title, doesn’t…
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