A few weeks ago, my blog focused on leading by values and the importance of communicating your organizational values clearly and constantly. Another critical element for leaders to practice is what I call walking your talk. Leaders must make every effort to become living symbols of their organization’s value system. Walking your talk means that […]
Leading by Values
I write and speak a lot about the importance of having strong corporate values. I believe when a company is truly leading by its values, there is only one boss—the values. In light of this, I challenge you to think about something: Are you truly leading by your values? Now, don’t worry, I’m not underestimating […]
Building Collaboration with Open and Honest Communication
Effective communication is the lifeblood of an organization, so it is critical for leaders to create a safe and trusting environment where people can share information freely. In our new book, Collaboration Begins with You: Be a Silo Buster, my coauthors Jane Ripley and Eunice Parisi-Carew and I offer tips for listening, giving feedback, and […]
The Collaborative Way to Create a Clear Purpose, Values, and Goals
I’ve always said that leadership is about going somewhere—and a big part of that is working with your people to create a clear purpose, values, and goals. This is a key element in the collaborative process we describe, using the acronym UNITE, in my latest book with my coauthors Jane Ripley and Eunice Parisi-Carew, Collaboration […]
Set Boundaries for an Empowered Workforce
Setting boundaries to help empower people might sound like a contradiction. When managed correctly, though, well placed boundaries can ensure a strong culture of empowerment for your entire company. I’ve often said that a river without banks is a large puddle. If you empower people by setting them loose without any direction, they can lose […]
The Reality of Work-Life Balance
Much has been written about work-life balance. Some say it is impossible to find in our fast-paced world. Others say it is achievable—but you have to work at it. Summertime is usually the time of year when people try to concentrate a little more on work-life balance. However, I don’t see balance as just a […]
Rekindle, Reinvigorate, and Recharge—It Works at Any Age
On May 6, I turned 75 years old. In today’s society, most people would be retired at 75—or at least thinking about it. But did you know that the very practice of retirement was designed for the industrial world? During that era, people were physically tired by the time they reached 65 and needed to […]
It’s Time to Commit to Your Commitment—Once and For All
Why don’t New Year’s resolutions work? When I ask people how many have made a New Year’s resolution they haven’t kept, everyone raises their hand. The reason for this is, after you announce your New Year’s resolution, everyone who is important in your life laughs, says, “We’ll believe it when we see it,” and goes […]