There is nothing more fundamental in leadership development than how you define leadership.
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Consider the fact that in 2004 there were 9,000 Blockbuster stores worldwide, and in 2011 Dish Network bought Blockbuster for a “bargain price” of $320 million. By then Blockbuster had shrunk to 300 stores and filed for bankruptcy in 2010. But beyond being an iconic curiosity, what does this mean for contemporary leaders?
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If you’re trying to take care of your body and make healthier choices the first thing you might do is take a closer look at what you’re eating. But, have you thought about what you’re drinking? Or, maybe not drinking?
Water should be everyones beverage of choice. You see our bodies are around 60% water and every organ, tissue, muscle and cell needs water to operate properly. We need water to help regulate our body temperature, aid in digestion, and clear toxins.
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When you think about leadership, the one thing that leaders do that makes them different from any other person, is they DECIDE. They also decide WHEN they are going to decide. They not only determine the direction their organization is going to move, they also manage the clock of when they make those decisions and choices.
With decision-making, we are faced with the question-- How do I make very difficult choices?
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Do you want to make healthier food choices but are unsure about whether or not to choose organic? Or, do you feel like you should choose organic food but your wallet just can’t handle it?
When trying to eat more healthy and nutritions foods it can seem like eating 100 percent organic is the best option and a must. But this may not be possible for everyone. If you live in a colder climate you may have very limited access to organic foods during winter months. Plus, let’s face it, organic food can be more expensive and not affordable for everyone.
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Mentoring is a dynamic, reciprocal, personal relationship in which normally a more experienced person(amentor) acts as a guide, role model, teacher or sponsor a less experienced, newer person(amentee).
How do you find a mentor? What should you look for in a mentor?
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Do you have a hard time making healthy food choices while on business trips? Have you just resigned yourself to the idea that eating well while traveling is impossible so, why bother? Traveling AND eating well can feel like an impossible combination. Business meetings are often held at sub-par restaurants, workshops are stocked with sweet breakfast pastries, and a bag of fast food looks like the only option when you’re trying to catch your flight connection.
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When I ask an organization about their strategy, more often than not they will start telling me about all the programs they have in place.
Unfortunately, they have confused strategy and programs.
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In working with clients, I have found that often leadership and management are used interchangeably. However, leaders and managers have very distinct responsibilities. Confusing the two or treating them the same can cause create very dysfunctional organizations and overwhelmed leaders.
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It really is our ethical responsibility to get plenty of sleep and rest. Our teams, colleagues, organizations, and our families need us to be at our best, to be able to think clearly, and make sound decisions. Lack of sleep can deeply compromise our decision-making ability and mood.
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Do you know how to inspire your team when the going gets tough?
Use this 3-step process to inspire confidence during difficult times.
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Do you find yourself having a hard time making decisions? Or, maybe you feel overwhelmed by all the opportunities out there and are unsure of which ones to take and which to walk away from?
Making decisions is a leader’s #1 priority and it’s your job to figure out which opportunities are the best for your organization. That’s a lot of pressure!
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At Diamond6 we frequently speak about four “dimensions” of leadership. They are:
Leading ourselves
Leading others
Leading the boss
Leading (or being led by….) our peers
The last of these, leading peers, is perhaps the most difficult and least examined. Leading peers is hard because it often leads to conflicts over loyalty. It raises thorny questions: Is my greatest loyalty to my peers (friends, colleagues, and co-workers) OR is my loyalty to the organization? Are the mission, vision, and values of the organization more important than my personal relationships?
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At what point during your Diamond6 workshop did you have a “light bulb moment”?
On the third day of the workshop we were at the Army Heritage and Education Center and we heard Dr. Chris Maxwell
’s presentation, Lead Like a Guide. One of the things he talked about was taking risks. At the end of his presentation he asked us to write down what resonated most with us from his presentation. In my spiral notebook all I wrote down was, “take the risk.”
It’s hard to believe but, bosses are people too! They are human and they can make mistakes. For the sake of this article I’m talking about good bosses. People who genuinely care about their organization and the people who work for and with them. Not bosses who are incompetent or unethical. (Check out George Reed’s book Tarnished: Toxic Leadership in the U.S. Military for those kind of bosses).
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The leaves are beginning to turn from green to red, the temperatures are dropping (well, sort of), and pumpkins are appearing on porches. It’s a time for change and reinvention, to start anew or perhaps start over.
These seasonal changes are predictable, they happen with ease, and they require no effort on our part for them to take place. Fall will go into winter, whether we like it or not. Sure, they may result in sleepless nights gluing together the last-minute Halloween costume or stress-induced hives when you can’t get the Christmas lights untangled. I’ll save that for a future article!
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In my talks on leadership I frequently point out that the one thing that makes leaders different from everyone else is that THEY DECIDE! Though the effective leader wants to be open to input from as many perspectives as possible, the leader is the ultimate decision maker and must also decide when he/she is going to decide! As a result critical thinking is essential if a leader is going to make the best possible decisions in today’s complex and ever changing world.
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For two weeks people around the globe were glued to their television and computer screens searching for updates about 12 boys and their 25-year-old soccer coach who were trapped deep inside a cave in Northern Thailand. Finally, on July 10, the story that captivated and stunned the world came to an end when the final members of the soccer team exited the cave alive and well.
Summertime is here! Chances are you have a much deserved vacation planned – either by taking a car trip to the closest beach or hopping on a plane to visit family. Taking time off to catch your breath, get some rest, and enjoy time with family and friends is essential for our health and well-being.
However, traveling and being away from home can create some challenges when it comes to self-care. Quality food is less accessible at gas station rest stops, sitting on a cramped plane can make our bodies feel stiff and achy, and spending hours in the car with children can be a combination of beautiful memory-making and pure agony.
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