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The past is the future for most of us. We cling to misguided notions that persistence, endurance, and more of the same will result in a new future. It won’t. 99% of the conversations I have about the future are actually about the past. People try to create a future by cling to or modifying [.].
Some people think that once they ascend to a leadership role (or to a certain level of leadership) that they are immune from doing “real work” anymore. And even if you don’t feel that way, if you spend a little time as a fly on the wall with groups of front line employees, you will [.].
Eighteen months ago, I posted the question “ What’s The First Leadership Book You Would Give To a New Manager ?” within the discussion forum for the LinkedIn group Linked 2 Leadership. That question generated 603 comments and 690 recommendations. Some people suggested more than one book. Some during the course of the 18 months made the same book recommendations a couple times.
I recently got back from a month's vacation — the longest I've ever taken, and a shocking indulgence for an American. (Earlier this summer, I was still fretting about how to pull off two weeks unplugged.) The distance, though, helped me hone in on what's actually important to my professional career — and which make-work activities merely provide the illusion of progress.
Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult
I’ve asked some friends to bring their insights to the Leadership Freak community. Please give a warm welcome to today’s guest writer, Lolly Daskal. * What is the biggest difference between managers and leaders? Both roles are important but they seek to do different things… Leaders lead people. Managers manage people. Leaders set destinations.
I wanted to make a difference when I was a teenager but lacked courage. Encourage means to fill with courage. You have the power to give courage to others. You also have the power to drain people’s courage, to discourage. The hardest thing about my nearly fatal accident isn’t the pain and recovery. It’s the [.].
You are never helpless even when all you can do is receive. You can: See good in others. Appeciate being served. Respect those who serve you. Honor behaviours that demonstrate noble values. When you can’t do big things, it’s the small things that count. When you can’t do anything, you can say something. You can [.].
You are never helpless even when all you can do is receive. You can: See good in others. Appeciate being served. Respect those who serve you. Honor behaviours that demonstrate noble values. When you can’t do big things, it’s the small things that count. When you can’t do anything, you can say something. You can [.].
You rose to leadership because you provided answers and solutions; that’s what individual contributors do. Not so with leaders. In the past, you had all the answers but now you need all the questions. Are you brave enough to not know, even when you think you do? Leaders with answers don’t need teams, they need [.].
Image source I’ve been living on the weak side of love since my accident on November 20, 2011. I’ll be on the receiving end of compassion for weeks to come. Frankly, total dependence on others is not my preferred form of humility. Learning to be weak: It took me a few days to find the strength [.].
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. Wrong-headed thinking about opportunities.
I’ve asked some friends to bring their insights to the Leadership Freak community. Please give a warm welcome to today’s guest writer, Jesse Lyn Stoner. ** How many times have you heard, “It’s better to give than receive?” It’s so ingrained in our culture, we don’t even question it. If you are in a leadership role, [.].
Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of the rapidly evolving HR landscape as we examine how technological innovation, regulatory changes, talent strategies, and evolving diversity approaches are reshaping the profession. This webinar will provide HR professionals with practical insights on leveraging AI and emerging technologies while maintaining compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Image source I’ve asked some friends to bring their insights to the Leadership Freak community. Please give a warm welcome to today’s guest writer, Wally Bock. ** Bishop Hanns Lilje was imprisoned by Hitler but I didn’t know that at first. He was a genial man who laughed often, one of my father’s German pastor [.].
The reason we aren’t candid with people is we are protecting someone. We may protect someone else, our self, or both. Five things we protect: Reputation. Status. Position. Status quo. Opportunities. Why we protect: Fear. Perceived capability of others or ourselves. A better way: The guiding rule for candor is “usefulness.” Candor is not saying [.].
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 [.].
I sent a note to John Maxwell. This is part of his reply. How has leading changed you? That’s almost like asking how breathing has changed me. Leadership has impacted every aspect of my life. Early in my career, I discovered that everything rises and falls on leadership, and it changed the way I led. [.].
Forget predictions, let’s focus on priorities for the year and explore how to supercharge your employee experience. Join Miriam Connaughton and Carolyn Clark as they discuss key HR trends for 2025—and how to turn them into actionable strategies for your organization. In this dynamic webinar, our esteemed speakers will share expert insights and practical tips to help your employee experience adapt and thrive.
We say leadership is all about others and then hypocritically say, follow me! Leader-centric vision casting captures and dominates current leadership thought. From Moses to Martin Luther King Jr., stories of leaders with captivating dreams fill leadership literature. I love it and hate it. We’ve made the exception the rule. How many Moses’ are there?
Remember the last time you sat around a table making a big decision? Did you walk away breathing a sigh of relief. Relief indicates you were in the land of fairy dust and unicorns. Decisions are dangerous because they give the illusion of action where there is none. The bigger the decision the grander the [.].
You honor the accomplishments of others while neglecting, even hiding your own. Great leaders are great at honoring others. Honor multiplies success and motivates individuals. You’re constantly scouting-out behaviors, attitudes, and accomplishments to spotlight. Honor is one of your most powerful leadership tools. Failure: We’d all respond positively when encouraged to get out there and [.].
Deadlines don’t motivate until goals have meaning. People must personally own goals before deadlines create urgency, focus, decisiveness, and action. Today is Christmas Eve. It’s the motivating deadline for millions of procrastinators. The goal of giving gifts to loved ones makes this deadline matter. Application: Throwing a timeline with deadlines at team members is a [.].
Retaining top talent in 2025 means rethinking benefits. In a competitive job market, fertility benefits are more than just offerings - they are a commitment to your team’s well-being. Gain critical insights into the latest fertility benefits strategies that can help position your organization as an industry leader. Our expert will explore the unique advantages and challenges of each model, share success stories from top organizations, and offer practical strategies to make benefits decisions tha
I’ve asked some friends to bring their insights to the Leadership Freak community. Please give a warm welcome to today’s guest writer, S. Chris Edmonds. * If you’re like most leaders, you pay attention to what’s right in front of you. One key question I ask senior leaders is “what do you pay attention to?” Most [.].
I sent a note to John Maxwell. This is part 2 of his reply. What do you do to navigate the changes your leadership journey brings to you? First, I think everyone navigates according to their pain file. When you don’t succeed at something, then it should prompt you to want to grow. For example, one [.].
I received an email question, “Some people in our organization aren’t interested in personal development. What can we do?” Priority: Personal development is the top priority for everyone passionate to maximize their opportunities. It’s not selfish to develop yourself so that you can expand your service. Never be a martyr. Put the oxygen mask on yourself [.].
Giving gifts is one of my favorite things. When our children were young, Christmas gift giving was magic. Some year’s money was tight and we added homemade gifts to store-bought. During prosperous years we probably over did it. Generosity invigorates and delights everyone. However… Alternative: I’m against gift giving at work. If your office doesn’t [.].
2024 has tested every organization, and 2025 promises no less - the warning signs are everywhere. If you’re relying on superficial approaches to diversity, you might find yourself scrambling to catch up. Thought diversity - the fuel for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and disruptive innovation - is more than a buzzword. It's a survival strategy. And if you’re not building it into your workplace culture right now , you’re heading for trouble.
We say leadership is all about others and then hypocritically say, follow me! Leader-centric vision casting captures and dominates current leadership thought. From Moses to Martin Luther King Jr., stories of leaders with captivating dreams fill leadership literature. I love it and hate it. We’ve made the exception the rule. How many Moses’ are there?
The past is the future for most of us. We cling to misguided notions that persistence, endurance, and more of the same will result in a new future. It won’t. 99% of the conversations I have about the future are actually about the past. People try to create a future by cling to or modifying [.].
I wanted to make a difference when I was a teenager but lacked courage. Encourage means to fill with courage. You have the power to give courage to others. You also have the power to drain people’s courage, to discourage. The hardest thing about my nearly fatal accident isn’t the pain and recovery. It’s the [.].
I received an email question, “Some people in our organization aren’t interested in personal development. What can we do?” Priority: Personal development is the top priority for everyone passionate to maximize their opportunities. It’s not selfish to develop yourself so that you can expand your service. Never be a martyr. Put the oxygen mask on yourself [.].
Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.
Remember the last time you sat around a table making a big decision? Did you walk away breathing a sigh of relief. Relief indicates you were in the land of fairy dust and unicorns. Decisions are dangerous because they give the illusion of action where there is none. The bigger the decision the grander the [.].
Deadlines don’t motivate until goals have meaning. People must personally own goals before deadlines create urgency, focus, decisiveness, and action. Today is Christmas Eve. It’s the motivating deadline for millions of procrastinators. The goal of giving gifts to loved ones makes this deadline matter. Application: Throwing a timeline with deadlines at team members is a [.].
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. Wrong-headed thinking about opportunities.
I sent a note to John Maxwell. This is part 2 of his reply. What do you do to navigate the changes your leadership journey brings to you? First, I think everyone navigates according to their pain file. When you don’t succeed at something, then it should prompt you to want to grow. For example, one [.].
With a staggering 92% of CEOs prioritizing skill development, and 84% struggling with transformation, mastering upskilling is now more critical than ever. Drawing on extensive research and collaboration with hundreds of leading organizations, discover key hurdles and innovative best practices in workforce upskilling. You'll walk away with a deep understanding of how to build a culture of continuous learning, expert insights into assessing the current skills of your employees, and a strategic too
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