Scott, a leader in a large construction company, recently expressed his frustration that too many people in his chain of command didn’t think things through. He said he’d been tempted to point out, “You don’t get paid from the neck down!” I asked Scott if he was sure about that. Too often, leaders think theyRead more
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We remember Ben Franklin as a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, diplomat, and founding father of our country. Too often we forget, however, that he was also an executive coach–especially for himself. And we probably wouldn’t automatically consider him a source of advice for setting NewRead more
Board directors tend to underestimate the importance of corporate culture when they should see it as among their top governance imperatives. Culture is inextricably linked with strategy and risk, and it can be an organization’s biggest asset or its greatest liability. Yet, recent studies indicate that more than 80% of directors don’t have a firmRead more
Several years ago, I helped the president of a manufacturing company run a strategy initiative. When I walked into the room on the first day, twenty-six eager faces greeted me. Well-intended though he was, my client had inadvertently turned our strategy session into an execution-a session that promised to kill the strategy before it hadRead more
Why do some people conquer the dragon, but others succumb to it? Why can some overcome adversity when it devastates others? I wanted to know the answer, so in 1995, I decided to study heroes, people who had overcome significant adversity and emerged healthy and hardy–people who had taken care of others while they copedRead more
