Posts Tagged ‘Leadership’
Leading in Polarized Times
Lately, it seems as though people are dividing themselves into categories, drawing lines between themselves and others that are increasingly harder to cross. All over the world, we are now defined largely by what separates us. As a leader, this makes for a challenging culture to navigate. One of the biggest responsibilities we have is…
Read MoreMark Cole: If You Want Answers, Ask Questions
Questions have power. Think about the power of simply asking, “Why?” Bernard Baruch said, “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the only one who asked why.” Thank God for Isaac Newton! But what about the millions who saw the apples fall and never asked why? What kept them from asking the question? Have…
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 MoreMark Cole: The Choice Is Yours
Without question, choices play the biggest role in how our lives turn out. Some people make their lives difficult by making questionable choices. Others move through life easier because of good choices they’ve made. Regardless of which road a person takes, I know this: we don’t always get what we want, but we always get…
Read MoreLeading Everyone Well: Equality and Equity
In our current culture, there’s a lot of conversation about equality. Whether it’s a discussion about race, gender, or other cultural divides, over the past few months news events have forced us to reconsider the way we interact with others. It’s pushed many leaders to take a long hard look in the mirror, and that’s…
Read MoreMark Cole: What Every Leader Needs to Know
The foundation for every leader is his or her ethical standards. That’s why one of the most helpful books I know of for any leader is Ethics 101: What Every Leader Needs To Know. I have recommended it countless times because it’s imperative for leaders to know and understand ethical standards. In the book, John…
Read MoreThe Cheetah Mentality: Learning How to Leadershift
Do me a favor. Take just a moment and watch this video. Isn’t that amazing? I love what they say at the end of the video about the cheetah’s legs and feet—it’s almost an afterthought, but it’s such a good lesson. “These modifications provide the cheetah with increased traction and fast, sharp turns.” When we…
Read MoreMark Cole: Listen with Your Leadership
In The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, I read that “the average person suffers from three delusions: 1) that he/she is a good driver, 2) that he/she has a good sense of humor, and 3) that he/she is a good listener.” Although that is mostly true, it is meant to make light of a very real…
Read MoreA Day of Service
What does it mean to serve? It’s a question worth asking yourself, especially if you’re a leader. Recent research has revealed that the younger generation of workers wants to work at a company with high potential AND a high purpose. They want to make as much of a difference to profit margins as they do…
Read MoreMark Cole: Keeping a Fresh Perspective
There is nothing more challenging than following a leader who feels stale. Have you experienced this? Maybe you follow a leader who feels like his/her best days are behind them and there is nothing exciting about the future. Or maybe you have felt this in yourself at times. Keeping a fresh perspective is absolutely necessary…
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