Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Danger: Dominant leaders achieve compliance at the expense of loyally, inspiration, and innovation. Relying on power, authority, or position, makes you look like a cop writing speeding tickets. If you want to lead, increase your influence. Approval: Increasing your influence means [.].

Influence 221

Influence Compliance Innovation Power 221

Leadership Freak

JANUARY 10, 2012

It’s the path to solutions; it’s innovative and invigorating. Confusion, instability, and chaos describe organizations with poor leaders. Confusion and leadership, however, are partners. Sometimes you create and encourage others to work through confusion. The dance with confusion is dangerous, however. Confusion is never an end in itself.

Innovation 200

Innovation Organization Leadership Books 200

Leadership Freak

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Barker believed that excellence, innovation and anticipation are the triad of the future. One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard Did you ever get the feeling while reading a book that the author somehow got inside your head, and was inspired to create his work? What was true then is even truer today.

Trends 100

Trends Open-book Blanchard Learning-by-Doing 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 7, 2012

Exploring ideas, finding solutions, and innovation demand vigorous participation from all players. ** Uncertainty invites participation. The best teams win when players bring their best. Your attitude secretly signals participants to open up and bring their “A” game or clam up and play it safe.

Uncertainty 100

Uncertainty Participative Innovation Power 100

Leadership Freak

JUNE 6, 2017

She asked a manager, “What questions are you asking your team?” The manager said,… Continue reading → A coaching client has been learning to ask quality questions. She shared one with me that blew me away.

Quality 143

Quality Team Management Succession 143

Leadership Freak

JUNE 15, 2012

A recent conversation with a healthcare executive reminded me that Jack Welch’s management rule of 20-70-10 inevitably increases turnover. 70% are being managed up or out. 20% of your employees – top performers – are highly rewarded. The bottom 10% is terminated or self-terminates.

Bottom-up 202

Bottom-up Execution Management Organization 202

Leadership Freak

APRIL 24, 2018

Dear Dan, I manage a large team of creatives who range from 20 to 70 years of age. This post is over 300 words! I fall in the earlier category. Part of my… Continue reading →

Creativity 128

Creativity How To Team Management 128

Leadership Freak

APRIL 16, 2012

Managers, leaders, and business owners are the hardest working people I know. It doesn’t matter how hard you work if you’re working on the wrong things. Working in your business is necessary but dangerous. You work “in” when you do business.

Management 207

Management Delegation Leadership Development Innovation 207

Leadership Freak

APRIL 16, 2012

Managers, leaders, and business owners are the hardest working people I know. It doesn’t matter how hard you work if you’re working on the wrong things. Working in your business is necessary but dangerous. You work “in” when you do business.

Management 100

Management Delegation Leadership Development Innovation 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 1, 2012

By definition most of us are average. Even though: 68% of the faculty at the University of Nebraska rate themselves in the top 25% of teaching ability. 90% students see themselves as more intelligent than the average student. 93% of U.S. drivers put themselves in the top 50% of driving ability. 92% of teachers say [.].

Organization 193

Organization Definition Hamel Leadership Development 193

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 222

Welch Organization Goal Motivation 222

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 5, 2012

I never appreciated Steve Jobs’ quote, “I want to put a ding in the universe,” until I talked with Gary Hamel, Wall Street Journal’s #1 most influential business thinker. I asked Gary what leadership behaviors have the most impact on organizations. Gary took a swing at the reason we don’t put a ding in the [.].

Hamel 213

Hamel Organization Leadership Company 213

Leadership Freak

MAY 13, 2012

Have you noticed this hypocrisy in yourself or people in your organization? Out of one side of our mouths we say, “We love new ideas.” Out of the other we say, “We hate change.” New ideas change things. Tendency: Organizations tend to harden their methods, processes, and procedures as time passes; they resist change. New [.].

Resistance 202

Resistance Process Organization Succession 202

Leadership Freak

JULY 6, 2012

The bluebirds emptied their nest, yesterday. Every year we watch the same ritual from egg to flight. One year we saw the young leave. This year we found one resting in the grass. Beginning: Mother bluebird usually sits on the eggs while father bluebird feeds her and stands guard atop their box-shaped house. Eventually, we [.].

Influence 194

Influence Motivation Innovation Management 194

Leadership Freak

MARCH 13, 2012

** Inexperience is under rated. Inexperienced people enjoy the courage of ignorance. They say, “Why not” rather than “we tried that.” Ignorance allows them to see what could be. They see fewer problems and more opportunities. They try because they haven’t failed.

Leadership Development 206

Leadership Development Innovation Development Management 206

Leadership Freak

APRIL 22, 2012

Dumb people talk – smart people do. Talking makes you seem smart. Talking without doing, in reality, makes you dumb. Doing is the only thing that makes you smart. Stuff in our heads doesn’t make us smart until it’s put into action. If you can’t describe it, you can’t do it. If you can’t explain it, [.].

Goal 200

Goal Influence Succession Leadership Development 200

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

FEBRUARY 25, 2012

Image source Leave the good ole days in the past. Enjoy memories but never try recreating experiences. Some years back, my wife and I went to an amusement park with another couple. It was the perfect storm of fun. The day was perfect. The crowds were small. We smiled, laughed, and played till it hurt. [.].

Goal 197

Goal Leadership Development Innovation Development 197

Leadership Freak

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

** You must give power in order to empower? Empowerment is giving qualified people power and permission to act. Empowerment fails when leaders talk empowerment but hang on to permission or make it difficult to act. Empowered people become colleagues not employees. Transform your organization by making subordinates colleagues.

How To 193

How To Power Organization Performance Review 193

Leadership Freak

JANUARY 7, 2012

Image source The problem is you won’t let go. You’re the victim of too much perseverance. Organizations grow when new, competent talent steps in. 7 reasons letting go challenges longstanding leaders: Identity: Who am after I let go? Confidence: Will I perform as well? Ability: Can I learn new skills and behaviors?

Uncertainty 197

Uncertainty How To Skills Organization 197

Leadership Freak

AUGUST 10, 2011

Image source I’m grappling with how much change is too much. It feels like I’m surrounded by people that love stability and predictability – things low on my list of priorities. Collisions: The collision between change agents and stabilizers is inevitable, dynamic, potentially dangerous, and theoretically useful.

Innovation 192

Innovation Management Leadership 192

Leadership Freak

MARCH 1, 2012

By definition most of us are average. Even though: 68% of the faculty at the University of Nebraska rate themselves in the top 25% of teaching ability. 90% students see themselves as more intelligent than the average student. 93% of U.S. drivers put themselves in the top 50% of driving ability. 92% of teachers say [.].

Organization 102

Organization Definition Hamel Leadership Development 102

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

Leadership Freak

APRIL 22, 2012

Dumb people talk – smart people do. Talking makes you seem smart. Talking without doing, in reality, makes you dumb. Doing is the only thing that makes you smart. Stuff in our heads doesn’t make us smart until it’s put into action. If you can’t describe it, you can’t do it. If you can’t explain it, [.].

Goal 102

Goal Influence Succession Leadership Development 102

Leadership Freak

MAY 13, 2012

Have you noticed this hypocrisy in yourself or people in your organization? Out of one side of our mouths we say, “We love new ideas.” Out of the other we say, “We hate change.” New ideas change things. Tendency: Organizations tend to harden their methods, processes, and procedures as time passes; they resist change. New [.].

Resistance 100

Resistance Process Organization Succession 100

Leadership Freak

MARCH 5, 2012

I never appreciated Steve Jobs’ quote, “I want to put a ding in the universe,” until I talked with Gary Hamel, Wall Street Journal’s #1 most influential business thinker. I asked Gary what leadership behaviors have the most impact on organizations. Gary took a swing at the reason we don’t put a ding in the [.].

Hamel 104

Hamel Organization Leadership Company 104

Leadership Freak

FEBRUARY 25, 2012

Image source Leave the good ole days in the past. Enjoy memories but never try recreating experiences. Some years back, my wife and I went to an amusement park with another couple. It was the perfect storm of fun. The day was perfect. The crowds were small. We smiled, laughed, and played till it hurt. [.].

Goal 104

Goal Leadership Development Innovation Development 104

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 100

Team Metrics Delegation Environment 100

Leadership Freak

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

** You must give power in order to empower? Empowerment is giving qualified people power and permission to act. Empowerment fails when leaders talk empowerment but hang on to permission or make it difficult to act. Empowered people become colleagues not employees. Transform your organization by making subordinates colleagues.

How To 102

How To Power Organization Performance Review 102

Leadership Freak

MARCH 13, 2012

** Inexperience is under rated. Inexperienced people enjoy the courage of ignorance. They say, “Why not” rather than “we tried that.” Ignorance allows them to see what could be. They see fewer problems and more opportunities. They try because they haven’t failed.

Leadership Development 100

Leadership Development Innovation Development Management 100

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

MAY 9, 2012

I asked an elected official to share his impressions of the political process. Without hesitation he said, “It’s disappointing that the Democrats and Republicans are sitting in separate rooms figuring out how to make the other party look bad. Politicians live in silos. Silos are great for storing things but destructive to organizations.

Politics 206

Politics Process Organization How To 206

Leadership Freak

MAY 9, 2012

I asked an elected official to share his impressions of the political process. Without hesitation he said, “It’s disappointing that the Democrats and Republicans are sitting in separate rooms figuring out how to make the other party look bad. Politicians live in silos. Silos are great for storing things but destructive to organizations.

Politics 106

Politics Process Organization How To 106