In today’s world, we all have plenty on our plates. Between meetings, phone calls, email and project work, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And customers have a lot on their plates too. They are dealing with changes as well. That’s why it’s more important than ever for leaders to empower their organizations to act, and […]
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The Transparency of Results
I recently traveled to Colorado with my family for a long ski weekend. On the trip home, we paid $110 to check four bags. And, despite having no connections, three of those four bags didn’t show up. Have you experienced this, too? It made me wonder: Is this airline at all concerned with customer value? […]
Read MoreDeliver the Value Your Customers Deserve
When I first went into a management role, I thought one of my most important responsibilities was being a problem solver. Team issues. Field/home office disputes. Individual performance shortcomings. I was convinced I could solve them all. There was a time, early in my manager career, where I was struggling with the performance of one […]
Read MoreGratitude, Optimism and Belief
We each have the ability to choose how we approach our daily lives. What will you choose? I like to ground my attitude and actions around gratitude, optimism and belief. Those are three pretty simple words, but they carry significant meaning for me – and for the work we all can do as leaders. With […]
Read MoreDo It Anyway
Just do it! I’m sure you’re familiar with this brand slogan developed more than 25 years ago. Nike significantly increased its market share following the introduction of this theme. At my alma mater (Wartburg College, a small, liberal arts school in the Midwest), members of the wrestling program have heard a similar, but slightly different […]
Read MoreThe Power of (and Need for) Defining Moments
Not long ago, I was asked by a local non-profit to speak at its yearly fund-raising gala. You see, this organization’s operating model is changing, and the old ways of doing business are simply less relevant today than in the past. And its director noticed how our company has been navigating a similar shift with […]
Read MoreHow to Learn to Love What You Do
Thanks to everyone for your comments on my last post, where I talked about my two sons and cautioned against holding out to “do what you love.” Instead, I’ve come to believe there’s a real need to learn how to “love what you do.” Early in my career, I constantly looked to see what next […]
Read MoreLove What You Do Instead of Do What You Love
Are you holding out to “do what you love?” Or, are you learning to “love what you do”? Recently, I was talking with my two sons about this topic – one is a college senior, the other is in his first job out of college. They both want to “do what they love” but are […]
Read MoreBecome an Everyday Leader
Leaders lead. And they follow. These sentences sound contradictory, right? After all, we’ve all been conditioned to view leaders as … those out in front, those leading change, those making things happen. We have the context of historical leaders with tremendous personal will and courage. I’ve written about leadership and courage before, so it does seem […]
Read MoreRecognize the unsung heroes among us
I was at a town hall meeting at one of my company’s processing centers recently. A manager gave me some feedback, and it reinforced something I’d been thinking about lately. Basically, the feedback was: We can do a better job recognizing and thanking those around us who, day in and day out, get the “less […]
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