What are you doing to develop your replacement? What is being done to build depth in your company? These are important questions for all leaders to consider. The subject of succession planning came up in a conversation with Will Dunaway, the chair of the board for the Center for Civic Engagement. Will is an attorney for the law firm Clark Partington. His office is in Pensacola, Florida. Will was one of several people from Clark…
How many times have you heard, or even said, phrases like the following? You must keep your personal and professional life separate. If someone gets complimented, they will get a big head. Too much praise may cause people to become complacent. It is important to balance positive and negative feedback. We may accept them as truths…but are they really? These are a few of the statements that came to mind as I listened to Tom Dahlborg present at EntreCon®,…
When it’s time to move forward, it’s better to act based on facts, not guesswork. In my experience, knowing the facts usually leads to better outcomes. When we have data on a situation, we are more likely to know what to do next. That’s not to say we won’t miss the mark at times—but actions based on facts are always better than actions based on assumptions. It’s always helpful for organizations to have good studies…
Who made a difference in your life, or at least in a situation you faced? Do they know it? The response to my column on how small gestures can make a big difference was wonderful. The emails and/or posts with people sharing their stories suggested my own experiences and the experiences of others are much the same. In most cases, the person who made the difference is probably unaware of their impact. It is important…
Do small gestures and personal touches make a big difference—or at least some difference—when serving customers? I feel the answer is yes. In fact, in a world that’s increasingly automated and impersonal, they are more noticed and appreciated than ever. I was on the way to a workshop in Austin, Texas. My presentation was scheduled for day two. I decided to arrive early so I could attend the afternoon session for day one. My plane arrived around…
In my experience, a person’s professional journey has ups and downs and twists and turns. It is more of a roller coaster ride than a lazy river. The hills and valleys help us learn. I was sharing with a good friend and mentor that I am now better at pausing. The pause helps me resist the urge to act at times—or at least take the action that’s more in line with the situation. At work…
As I continue to be out and about and inside many organizations, I am impressed with the passion and commitment I see, hear, and feel. These past several years have led many to feel that they were in a “valley of despair.” Today, while we have hopefully come out of the deepest part of the valley, most people understand that things have changed. Some call it the “new reality.” My colleague Dan Collard calls it…
It is gratifying that the e-book Rewiring Excellence: Hardwired to Rewired is being so well received. In writing the book, we were very careful to outline how to decide which actions can benefit from rewiring and which ones are best to leave alone. The key question is “How is it working?” If the desired outcomes are being achieved, it is best to leave it be. If the desired results are not being achieved, it makes sense to…
Writing my book The Calling: Why Healthcare Is So Special was a journey. The original concept of the book was that leadership is an inside job. This means that the better our “insides” (emotions and thoughts) are working, the better the external outcomes will be. I presented the talk “Leadership Is an Inside Job” at a large leadership session for TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio, on November 6, 2019. Afterward, TriHealth President/CEO Mark Clement was very complimentary about…
In my workshops, I ask the question, “Do you have people who accept a job and then do not show up?” Hands go up and heads nod. In addition to measuring experience, we recommend that organizations track “no-shows” of people who accepted a job and didn’t show up. It could be that their current job convinces them to stay, or that another company realizes the person is open to change and hires the person. Rewiring Excellence: Hardwired to…