Leadership Freak

DECEMBER 26, 2012

Right wanting motivates. Too much time spent focused on reaching goals not enough focused on [.]. All leaders want what they don’t have. Wrong wanting frustrates. Why leaders don’t get what they want? Failure to name it. You never achieve what you don’t name. Fear prevents leaders from saying what they really want.

Goal 220

Goal Motivation Team Succession 220

Leadership Freak

JUNE 10, 2012

The good thing about pain is it motivates our search for solutions. Pain drives us toward inadequate solutions when the goal [.]. Poorly solved problems return and multiply when pain goes away. The bad thing about the absence of pain is wrongly thinking problems are solved when they aren’t.

Motivation 197

Motivation Goal Stress Power 197

Leadership Freak

MARCH 9, 2012

Organizations and individuals remain stuck because they don’t understand and/or can’t endure the disorienting unbalance “new” always creates. Wise leaders understand prepare for, accept, and work through the pains of disequilibrium. Unbalance always precedes balance. From the garage: The tires on your car are balanced on spin balance machines.

Leadership 197

Leadership Organization Goal Motivation 197

Leadership Freak

APRIL 20, 2012

How can leaders powerfully drive home essential principles and values without seeming pedantic? I’ve had teams leave meetings early to participate in community service. Yes, six people left 30 minutes early to go feed the homeless. Couldn’t they wait? Couldn’t we schedule community service on another day? I’ve had teams disrupt meetings by [.].

Power 191

Power Leadership Participative Team 191

Leadership Freak

MAY 27, 2012

A Leadership Freak reader asked, “How do you deal with others who expend energy stopping people from reaching their goals?” ” The context is perfectionism. Perfectionistic roadblockers may act intentionally or accidentally out of ignorance. The paralysis of perfection is rampant.

Energy 206

Energy Goal Leadership Positioning 206

Leadership Freak

APRIL 11, 2012

Healthy dissatisfaction motivates. Criticism, on the other hand, inspires fear, resistance, defensiveness, excuses, anger, or bitterness. Dissatisfaction points to potential, growth, and improvement. Criticism digs at what was wrong. Criticism demotivates. Embrace dissatisfaction – [.].

Resistance 213

Resistance Motivation Innovation Goal 213

Leadership Freak

MAY 28, 2012

Affirmations encourage and motivate by pointing to progress and success. Foolish leaders permit aspirations to minimize affirmations. On the other hand, aspirations say we aren’t there yet. Aspirations set targets; affirmations celebrate achievement.

Motivation 201

Motivation Environment Succession Organization 201

Leadership Freak

MARCH 29, 2013

Results are the goal. You can’t lead until you define desired results. Results drive everything leaders do. In the tension between getting results and building relationships, results take priority. Relationships are the method. Once you determine results, focus on relationships. Relationships produce results. Awkward: [.].

Goal 221

Goal Motivation Leadership Development Development 221

Leadership Freak

MARCH 9, 2012

Organizations and individuals remain stuck because they don’t understand and/or can’t endure the disorienting unbalance “new” always creates. Wise leaders understand prepare for, accept, and work through the pains of disequilibrium. Unbalance always precedes balance. From the garage: The tires on your car are balanced on spin balance machines.

Leadership 100

Leadership Organization Goal Motivation 100

Leadership Freak

APRIL 20, 2012

How can leaders powerfully drive home essential principles and values without seeming pedantic? I’ve had teams leave meetings early to participate in community service. Yes, six people left 30 minutes early to go feed the homeless. Couldn’t they wait? Couldn’t we schedule community service on another day? I’ve had teams disrupt meetings by [.].

Power 100

Power Leadership Participative Team 100

Leadership Freak

MAY 27, 2012

A Leadership Freak reader asked, “How do you deal with others who expend energy stopping people from reaching their goals?” ” The context is perfectionism. Perfectionistic roadblockers may act intentionally or accidentally out of ignorance. The paralysis of perfection is rampant.

Energy 102

Energy Goal Leadership Positioning 102

Leadership Freak

MAY 28, 2012

Affirmations encourage and motivate by pointing to progress and success. Foolish leaders permit aspirations to minimize affirmations. On the other hand, aspirations say we aren’t there yet. Aspirations set targets; affirmations celebrate achievement.

Motivation 100

Motivation Environment Succession Organization 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 21, 2012

Wise leaders instill enabling hope that energizes sustained progress toward noble goals. [.]. The overwhelming power of hope is demonstrated in it’s ability to inspire unimaginable endurance. Think of hope gone bad when a wife endures abuse hoping he’ll change.

Engineering 195

Engineering Goal Power Succession 195

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 4, 2015

I’m glad I didn’t dream big when it came to writing the Leadership Freak blog. I didn’t set out to write a popular leadership blog. I set out to be helpful to as many people… Continue reading →

Blog 100

Blog Leadership Goal Motivation 100

Leadership Freak

AUGUST 18, 2012

Think of leadership as helping others win. Image source Leaders fail when they think too much about things they want and too little about things others want. Immature vision-driven leaders flounder when they believe it’s all about their vision. But, what is helping and what is winning? Leader as helper: The first step toward winning [.].

Leadership 202

Leadership Power Goal Motivation 202

Leadership Freak

MAY 12, 2012

If the world naturally drifted upward like hot-air balloons, leaders and leadership would be irrelevant. People wore rose colored glasses in the 60’s when they thought drugs and “free love” would create a New World. Apart from positive intervention chaos reigns. Call it pessimism if you like. The [.].

Positioning 193

Positioning Leadership Power Goal 193

Leadership Freak

MARCH 14, 2012

Delegating may be the most unglamorous part of leadership. ** Mediocre leaders can’t or won’t delegate. I woke up this morning with three things on my mind, delegating an important role in the organization I lead, and two Warrens. They all go together. Warren Buffet on delegation: Hire people and don’t tell them what to [.].

Delegation 197

Delegation Organization Leadership Goal 197

Leadership Freak

MARCH 21, 2012

Wise leaders instill enabling hope that energizes sustained progress toward noble goals. [.]. The overwhelming power of hope is demonstrated in it’s ability to inspire unimaginable endurance. Think of hope gone bad when a wife endures abuse hoping he’ll change.

Engineering 100

Engineering Goal Power Succession 100

Leadership Freak

MAY 12, 2012

If the world naturally drifted upward like hot-air balloons, leaders and leadership would be irrelevant. People wore rose colored glasses in the 60’s when they thought drugs and “free love” would create a New World. Apart from positive intervention chaos reigns. Call it pessimism if you like. The [.].

Positioning 100

Positioning Leadership Power Goal 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 14, 2012

Delegating may be the most unglamorous part of leadership. ** Mediocre leaders can’t or won’t delegate. I woke up this morning with three things on my mind, delegating an important role in the organization I lead, and two Warrens. They all go together. Warren Buffet on delegation: Hire people and don’t tell them what to [.].

Delegation 100

Delegation Organization Leadership Goal 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 31, 2013

I browbeat people when I “know” the path forward. I tell them what I want, before thinking about what they need to hear. Additionally, I pressure people when I’ve made up my mind. At least that’s what others tell me. Honestly, I don’t see Browbeating Dan. I see myself as Pussy Cat Dan. Burden of [.].

Goal 209

Goal Motivation Succession Leadership Development 209

Leadership Freak

JANUARY 6, 2012

** Our world confuses potential with performance. Never let mediocre performance seem outstanding. You insult high performers, nurture incompetence, sell yourself short. You aren’t entitled to greatness, it’s earned. What is greatness: Greatness is serving; the more you serve the greater you are.

Goal 223

Goal Influence Motivation Succession 223

Leadership Freak

APRIL 2, 2012

Painful endings and uncertain beginnings are the two moments you make the most difference in a leader’s life. 10 Dangers in every new beginning: Confusing and obscure pictures of success. Listening to counsel from people who don’t first ask, “What’s your vision?”

Advice 208

Advice Succession Motivation Goal 208

Leadership Freak

MAY 19, 2016

The tragedy of poor management is lost potential and lack of fulfillment. Successful managers create environments where people make a difference for themselves and their organizations. Six simple questions all successful managers ask: #1. What… Continue reading →

Succession 153

Succession Management Environment Organization 153

Leadership Freak

APRIL 10, 2012

“Real change agents comprise less than 10% of all business people,” Jack Welch. Most leaders play not-to-lose rather than playing to win, especially in large organizations. The more we have to lose the more we play not-to-lose. What we protect owns, limits, and controls us. What we risk propels us forward. When to risk: An [.].

Welch 224

Welch Organization Goal Motivation 224

Leadership Freak

MAY 30, 2012

Problems are giant black holes that capture focus, drain vitality, and divert resources. Solving problems seduces leaders away from future opportunities to focus on past inadequacies. Problems that threaten organizations must be addressed, admittedly. Sadly, many leaders are simply problem solving machines; they jump from one fire to the next.

Resources 210

Resources Organization Drucker Goal 210

Leadership Freak

AUGUST 31, 2012

You can’t lead people you don’t know. Knowing others means understanding and appreciating not judging. Humility: Knowing others if first about you then about others. Humility accepts. Arrogance judges and rejects. Difference frustrates arrogant leaders. Everyone should be like them.

Influence 201

Influence Goal Motivation Succession 201

Leadership Freak

APRIL 30, 2012

Freedom ignites passion, imagination, and initiative; control destroys it. Freedom feeds vitality; control oppresses and limits. Freedom, however, is dangerous. Freedom is essential because their expertise exceeds yours, in their area. If you know more than everyone on your team, you have a weak team. Effective leaders set people free.

Team 213

Team Metrics Delegation Goal 213

Leadership Freak

MARCH 20, 2012

“Many people who could have made the biggest difference in my life didn’t.” pastorhudson tweeted back, “WOW that’s so true! My question is why? Did they not know? Not have time?” I thought, “Great questions?” Why haven’t they made a bigger difference? We didn’t go to them? They didn’t come to us? They had [.].

Power 217

Power Goal Influence Motivation 217

Leadership Freak

JUNE 13, 2012

** When someone asks how they did. I realize I haven’t done well at giving feedback. I’ve been passive not active. I’ve never heard high-performers say, “I get too much feedback.” They crave more. On the other hand, I’ve never met a leader who gave enough. High feedback leaders develop high performance cultures, when feedback’s [.].

Development 201

Development Goal Motivation Succession 201

Leadership Freak

MAY 26, 2012

“The truth is, mediocrity is natural. You don’t have to do anything to drift there. It just happens.” Michael Hyatt. 6 ways to find the courage you need to make “wow” happen: Take a stand for greatness. You must resolve in your heart that you will not sell out or settle. This isn’t necessary for [.].

Goal 197

Goal Media Motivation Books 197

Leadership Freak

MAY 15, 2012

Weak leaders struggle to gain power. Insecure leaders fear losing it. Power is good, it gets things done. Power is bad when it’s used to abuse and manipulate others for selfish ends. Essential: Who takes organizations further? You’ll go further with teams of powerful people. Those who never use power are doomed to be controlled [.].

Power 200

Power Team Organization Goal 200

Leadership Freak

DECEMBER 30, 2011

Life without opportunities is dull and unfulfilling. Lost opportunities discourage; lack of opportunities defeat. We’ve all heard people wishing they had more opportunities. This happens for two reasons. Comparing our opportunities with others makes us want what others have. Envy and greed are, however, partners with emptiness and frustration.

Power 210

Power Goal Motivation Leadership Development 210

Leadership Freak

DECEMBER 9, 2011

Talented leaders always define meaning and explain purpose. There are no menial tasks as long as tasks have meaning. My recent stay at Susquehanna Health System (SHS) exposed me to an array of remarkable people; not the least of which was Karen from food services. She reminded me of the power of meaning. Delinquency and [.].

System 207

System Power Goal Influence 207

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 23, 2011

Err on the side of pushing harder not easier. When you wonder if you should challenge or comfort someone, challenge them. Expect more not less. Encourage those who are struggling but don’t exclude challenging them. Reject the temptation to coddle. People rise to challenges. Maxed out: A few on your team are maxed out. Strengthen [.].

Strategy 200

Strategy Team Loyalty Goal 200

Leadership Freak

APRIL 2, 2012

Painful endings and uncertain beginnings are the two moments you make the most difference in a leader’s life. 10 Dangers in every new beginning: Confusing and obscure pictures of success. Listening to counsel from people who don’t first ask, “What’s your vision?”

Advice 100

Advice Succession Motivation Goal 100

Leadership Freak

APRIL 10, 2012

“Real change agents comprise less than 10% of all business people,” Jack Welch. Most leaders play not-to-lose rather than playing to win, especially in large organizations. The more we have to lose the more we play not-to-lose. What we protect owns, limits, and controls us. What we risk propels us forward. When to risk: An [.].

Welch 111

Welch Organization Goal Motivation 111