“If I’ve got one thing that I really believe about fiction and life, it’s that there are no minor characters.” – Jane Gardam One of the most frustrating things for me to watch is any organization that underachieves. When you see a group of people with talent and nothing to show for it, it feels … Read more
“A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill We’ve spent a lot of time in this space talking about characteristics of great leaders – almost thirteen years, to be exact. And while all leaders are unique, those same characteristics seem to show up over and … Read more
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt Some of you may remember (or have at least heard of) the movie Groundhog Day from the early 90’s, starring … Read more
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis Last week in this space I made the point that as human beings we have a tendency to get stuck in the past. We can learn from our past mistakes, which is great, … Read more
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain We’ve spent some time in the past talking about purpose, and even more than that, being purposeful (here, here, here and a bunch of other places). It seems like a very … Read more
“Fall seven times and stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb People throw around a lot of different words and phrases to describe great leaders. You hear about things like work ethic, integrity, communication skills, vision, strategic thinker, etc. The list could go on and on, but most lists would be missing one of the most … Read more
“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” – Thomas Sowell I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with a group of outstanding leaders on a regular basis. We get together and talk about a lot of different topics, mostly big picture stuff. It’s an opportunity for those leaders … Read more
“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland Last week in this space the conversation was about understanding who you are and who you aren’t, and then getting help where you need it. Based on the feedback that came in, that topic struck a nerve. … Read more
“Astrophysicists assure us the universe has no center; therefore, you cannot be it.” – David McCullough, Jr. A lot is expected of leaders. Sometimes people in leadership roles feel like they’re supposed to know how to do everything, how to handle every situation, what to say to anyone at any time, etc. It can be, … Read more
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln It’s pretty common to hear leaders talk about their desire for excellence. They’ll talk about delivering excellent products to their customers, or they’ll talk about their excellent customer service, or they’ll talk about their excellent people, and on and on. It would seem that the … Read more
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