Lead on Purpose

JANUARY 5, 2013

Leaders who follow rules have subordinates who do – Guest post by Jack Meyer. Great leadership skills are those that are developed over time. Although textbooks and classes can help you improve the kind of leader you want to be, it takes real-life practice and implementation to make you great. A successful leader has the trust of those under him or her and is supported by those subordinates.

Meyer 241

Meyer Follow-up Guidelines Environment 241

Lead on Purpose

JANUARY 12, 2013

Effective communication is one of the most challenging aspects in life. Regardless of your role in any organization (company, family, church, etc.), understanding the intentions of others and communicating your objectives is trying at times, and occasionally downright frustrating. However, if you want to build strong relationships of trust, effective communication is absolutely critical.

Leadership 240

Leadership Objective Productivity Products 240

Lead on Purpose

JUNE 22, 2013

'“Decisiveness is a way of behaving, not an inherited trait. It allows us to make brave and confident choices, not because we know we’ll be right but because it’s better to try and fail than to delay and regret.”. Authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath wrote the book Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work with the following goals: “We want to make you a bit better at making good decisions, and we want to help you make your good decisions a bit more decisively.

Open-book 233

Open-book Learning-by-Doing Team Building Proposal 233

Lead on Purpose

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

If you want to be a great leader, you have to be a great follower. All the great leaders I have studied talk about the people who encouraged and inspired them to do great things. In almost every case, it wasn’t just one person who inspired them; it was a number of people. You will find some level of the following three characteristics in all great leaders: They study successful people: They have devoted significant time and energy to studying great leaders of the past and present.

Learning-by-Doing 231

Learning-by-Doing Open-book Follow-up Succession 231

Lead on Purpose

NOVEMBER 9, 2013

'Guest post by Ken Myers. Empowerment is an important skill to learn as a leader. Most who rise to the upper echelons of a company get there because of their attention to detail and ability to handle any situation. Unfortunately, these skills do not often translate into engaging with employees. Leaders who assume all of the business’s duties and responsibilities aren’t doing their employees any favors.

Delegation 229

Delegation Leadership Customer Loyalty Morale 229

Lead on Purpose

JULY 6, 2013

'Successful leaders possess a deep passion for their work and other activities in which they participate. They find ways to engage their people to go faster, work harder and improve their results. They don’t push or drive people, they inspire, they cause people to dig deep and give their best effort. In describing how leaders demonstrate passion, Erika Andersen gave the following advice in her Forbes.com article Passionate Leaders Aren’t Loud, They’re Deep : True passion requires honestly commit

Consensus 226

Consensus Commitment Learning-by-Doing Participative 226

Lead on Purpose

MAY 4, 2013

'One of the great leaders and thinkers of our time is Clayton Christensen , ”a down-to-earth” alum of BYU, Oxford and Harvard. His book The Innovators Dilemma has impacted the business world perhaps more than any other book in recent history. He has expanded his research and applied his theories to other industries like health care, higher education and even governments and tax systems.

Christensen 225

Christensen Disruptive Innovation Health Care Magazine 225

Lead on Purpose

DECEMBER 27, 2013

'Why are you in business? What drives your daily activities—your long-term vision or making the numbers this quarter? If you’re a board member, do you incentivize your executives to make a long-term contribution for the company or to keep the shareholders happy this quarter? If these questions cause you any discomfort, your priorities might be out-of-line with your core values.

Long-term 220

Long-term Short-term McKinsey CEO 220

Lead on Purpose

JULY 20, 2013

'Guest post by Marcela De Vivo. Managers and team leaders alike want to create the best possible environment for their employees in order to have a high-functioning workplace, but exactly how to go about this is a bit of a difficult question. Each employee has a particular way they get things done, but it is your job as their leader to motivate them to work together.

Motivation 219

Motivation Tips Team Building Brainstorming 219

Lead on Purpose

MAY 25, 2013

'I am admittedly a creature of habit. I like to run and when I do I listen to books, podcasts and talks. This is a great time for learning and really letting things sink down deeply in my understanding. I also (as a creature of habit) find myself going back to books I’ve listened to in the past. In recent days I’m re-listening to Good to Great by Jim Collins.

Collins 214

Collins Leadership Charisma Team Building 214

Lead on Purpose

MARCH 30, 2013

One of the primary themes of Lead on Purpose is leading effectively regardless of whether you are in a position of authority – in a ‘management’ position. That will continue to be a primary topic for this blog. However, I was recently introduced to a new tool that will help managers and leaders of small to large groups direct their teams more effectively.

Management 211

Management Collins Drucker Short-term 211

Lead on Purpose

FEBRUARY 2, 2013

Having the right perspective creates opportunities. It gives you the ability to see things you hadn’t seen and understand people in ways you hadn’t thought about. It helps you focus on new ways to be more effective. I read an interesting article by former NFL quarterback Steve Young about the perspective of a 6-foot quarterback. He talks about the difficulties of finding open receivers (to throw to).

Leadership 208

Leadership Productivity Products Review 208

Lead on Purpose

NOVEMBER 16, 2013

'Think about the last time something went wrong that drove up your stress level. How did you deal with it? Did it ruin your day? We all face high-pressure situations at different times for different reasons. The following three steps will help you get through any pressure-filled situation: Assess the situation: Take a step back and evaluate what happened.

Stress 206

Stress Planning Situational Leadership Follow-up 206

Lead on Purpose

AUGUST 3, 2013

'Confidence is a key driver of effective leadership. The ability to both possess and exhibit confidence will have a measurable impact on your ability to lead well. Understanding what confidence is, and is not, will improve your leadership abilities. Confidence is not arrogance. An arrogant person attempts to lift himself up and put others down. Every move is calculated to elevate himself, and make sure others know of his importance.

Leadership 203

Leadership Definition Productivity Products 203

Lead on Purpose

APRIL 13, 2013

'Positive and effective communication starts with listening. When you listen first and ask questions second, you come away with a much better understanding of what the other person wanted you to know. If you need to communicate something to another person, state it quickly and then listen to their response. When you participate in meetings, listen to what the others have to say.

Leadership 200

Leadership Sports Learning-by-Doing Participative 200

Lead on Purpose

APRIL 6, 2013

'“Removing what does not matter is the first step in figuring out what does.” This statement sums up one of the key indicators to sustainable and effective leadership as taught in the book The Leader’s Climb: A Business Tale of Rising to the New Leadership Challenge by Bob Parsanko and Paul Heagen. The Leader’s Climb tells the story of how to lead more effectively and how to make a long-term, lasting contribution.

Leadership 195

Leadership Open-book Maturity Team Building 195

Lead on Purpose

OCTOBER 12, 2013

'Change is one of the inevitable aspects of business, and life in general. Some people find it difficult to deal with change, and their attitude towards it limits their growth. Others embrace change and deal with it in positive ways. Leaders have to deal with change personally and also help their people stay positive. Here are three simple, yet powerful ways leaders deal with change effectively: Be flexible: Don’t get set in your ways.

Positioning 193

Positioning Marketing Productivity Products 193

Lead on Purpose

AUGUST 17, 2013

'Most technology companies are comprised of people and teams that discover, define, design, develop and deliver products to the market. Their success depends largely on how well these teams work together to produce great products and services. The role of product manager has become increasingly important to the success of the products and the companies; it has become increasingly strategic.

Productivity 193

Productivity Products Management Leadership 193

Lead on Purpose

JUNE 1, 2013

'Guest post by Mike Gardener. With the economic climate as tough as it currently is, leadership qualities are the main cornerstones of success when it comes to virtually all kinds of businesses. But what are the most important qualities when it comes to effective business leadership? And what are the essential characteristics of leaders that can inspire others to succeed in challenges that would otherwise seem impossible?

Creativity 193

Creativity Quality Delegation Definition 193

Lead on Purpose

DECEMBER 14, 2013

'Guest post by Mary Prescott. I’m sure you’ve heard statements like these before: “My team is exceptionally strong. They seem to be doing well”. “We’ve been improving. It’s hard to quantify, but I am sure we are getting there”. While you might hear these statements from any manager, they all have one thing in common: the lack of specificity. How strong is the team?

Metrics 190

Metrics Management Katz How To 190

Lead on Purpose

JANUARY 19, 2013

The concept of being fearless is intriguing. Though it’s something I’ve heard and known about all my life, it was driven home in a profound way when I first read The Fearless Mind and began living the principles in my life and helping my son in his quest to become a top ballroom dancer. Understanding fear and learning how to deal with it effectively is key to progressing in any endeavor.

Reference 191

Reference Learning-by-Doing Books Creativity 191

Lead on Purpose

DECEMBER 7, 2013

'You get results based on the things you focus on most intently. Most people are driven to increase their performance and expand their abilities. They understand the need to work hard in areas for which they have great passion. Regardless of how many things you want to accomplish, you must focus on the most important and let other things — which in the right context may be very good things — go by the wayside.

Engineering 187

Engineering Marketing Productivity Products 187

Lead on Purpose

NOVEMBER 2, 2013

'Contributed by Global Knowledge. Today’s business recruiters face a growing concern over the future of leadership. This concern is certainly not unfounded – by the year 2020 over a quarter of the workforce will be aged 55 and over (compared to just 13% in 2000), and many of these will hold senior positions in their organization. Employers are therefore being faced with the sensitive task of bridging the skills gap in a bid to find new leaders to replace those who are heading towards retir

Leadership Development 186

Leadership Development Development Leadership Training 186

Lead on Purpose

JUNE 1, 2013

'Guest post by Jason Miner. There is more to being a leader than simply assigning tasks for subordinates and making ruling judgments. A leader relies on his or her own confidence and knowledge in order to accomplish the task at hand. He or she needs to be able to quickly analyze a situation and have the tenacity to complete the project regardless of surrounding situations.

Delegation 186

Delegation Project Learning-by-Doing Succession 186

Lead on Purpose

SEPTEMBER 14, 2013

'Guest post by Kurt Smith. Your palms start to sweat. You’re thinking about this quarter’s benchmark. You can’t remember what your purchasing agent said about your most recent vendor, but you know that you need this sale. Actually, you need the next couple of sales. Negotiation – that’s how you’re going to succeed.

Finance 180

Finance Software Benchmarking Bottom-up 180

Lead on Purpose

MAY 18, 2013

'Guest post by Diane Pierre-Louis. The best leaders are nearly always excellent communicators. Clear and productive communication between management and staff is a great stage-setter for a successful and rewarding workplace environment. Whether you feel that you’re already communicating well with your employees or know this is an area that needs polishing, it’s always wise to review some common-sense strategies.

Productivity 179

Productivity Products How To Active Listening 179

Lead on Purpose

OCTOBER 26, 2013

'I write about trust often on this blog, so I’ll keep this post short and to the point: Gaining and keeping the trust of those you lead is one of the top factors to your company’s ongoing success. Think about someone you trust unconditionally. Is there anything you wouldn’t do for that person? Why? Here’s my answer: that person would never ask me to do something that was not in my best interest.

Succession 176

Succession Marketing Commitment Blog 176

Lead on Purpose

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

'Guest post by Guy Ascher. It’s hard to get amped up about selling razor blades, but somehow Dollar Shave Club has pulled it off. It’s one of the most successful new startup companies and it sells items that most people couldn’t give two hoots about. The secret is in the marketing. If you sell a boring product – toilet paper, pens, razors, water bottles, fishing supplies – you need to figure out a way to excite your employees.

Productivity 175

Productivity Products Team Marketing 175

Lead on Purpose

FEBRUARY 9, 2013

When you consider that success includes all the important aspects of life in aggregate, the most successful people focus first and foremost on making other people successful. They collaborate with others. When an opportunity arises they first consider its implications on the people they lead and the people they care about. When a problem surfaces they don’t panic and start pointing fingers; they work with the team until things are right again.

Leadership 175

Leadership Engineering Productivity Products 175

Lead on Purpose

MARCH 23, 2013

Great leaders understand the responsibility of doing things right, making sure they’re accomplishing the goals they’ve set out for themselves and their organizations. Doing things right is a core to success. However, if you focus too much on planning, and don’t get to work making things happen, you might miss the bigger opportunity. General George S.

Agility 173

Agility Storytelling Software Planning 173

Lead on Purpose

MAY 11, 2013

'How we perceive things shapes our lives. In the book Beyond Illusions: The Magic of Positive Perception , Brad Barton —a magician, athlete and all-around great guy—takes you on a journey of looking past illusions and forming positive perceptions that will change your life. When we understand how we’re deceived, we have the power to no longer be enslaved by the illusions and misperceptions that create personal, social and business crises.

Positioning 172

Positioning Power Tools Productivity 172

Lead on Purpose

SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

'I recently attended a keynote address by Dr. Craig Manning, sports performance coach and author of The Fearless Mind. He talked about how 10% of our brain is the conscious, and 90% is the subconscious. As we practice and perform, the things we learn in our conscious mind flow into our subconscious and result in our naturally doing what we train our mind to do.

Sports 170

Sports Learning-by-Doing Productivity Products 170

Lead on Purpose

JULY 27, 2013

'Whether you lead a classroom of school children or a major corporation, you should frequently ask yourself the question “am I building a great organization?” Why should you try to build a great organization? Because doing so is, for the most part, as easy as building a good one (see Good to Great chapter 9). Here are five posts from Lead on Purpose that will help you build a great organization: 1.

Organization 170

Organization Team Building Influence Productivity 170

Lead on Purpose

AUGUST 31, 2013

'In a recent post we found out why nice companies finish first. Throughout the book the author quotes successful leaders that show how companies (and people) that are nice experience more success than their less kind counterparts. Here are a few of my favorites: “We feel customers are our friends, and we talk to them like friends. What you hear is amazing.

Company 167

Company Reputation Wilde Productivity 167

Lead on Purpose

NOVEMBER 30, 2013

'Several years ago I wrote that you can’t fake leadership. Becoming a leader requires a careful combination of confidence and humility. Leading an organization requires focusing intently in key areas. Successful leaders lead with their eyes wide open. In my “day job” as a product manager I create software products that help companies fight against internal fraud.

How To 160

How To Risk Management Software Productivity 160

Lead on Purpose

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

'What drives innovation in your company or organization? Do you have a group of “thinkers” who come up with the new ideas? Do you watch the trends of competitors or others close to your market? Do you look outside your corporate world for clues to where you should go next? In a recent MIT Sloan Executive Education innovation@work post the author Eric von Hippel asserts that company leaders focus too much on what’s next based on their internal product innovators, and they do not listen enough to

Innovation 160

Innovation Productivity Products Trends 160

Lead on Purpose

JANUARY 26, 2013

One of the marks of great leaders is their influence on other people. We all know people who have helped us get to where we are today. Their ultimate goal was to help us become more successful and achieve more than they have achieved. It might seem like taking the time to help others be [.

Leadership 160

Leadership Influence Goal Succession 160