Leadership author and speaker
Leadership author and speaker
I’ve always been a reader: fiction, non-fiction, comic books–seriously, anything I can get my hands on. I think a person who is a steady consumer of books is opening their mind in a way that’s not possible any other way. Watching videos and listening to lectures has their place, but books are the gateway because […]
The Hawaiian language is very beautiful, and it’s been a great pleasure to live here where I hear it spoken often. As a writer who loves words, the nuance in Hawaiian words and phrases inspires me. Words like aloha or ‘ohana have meanings much deeper than “hello/farewell” (aloha) and “family” (‘ohana), they also have contextual […]
It’s been a lot of fun to write for GeneralLeadership.com, and I am part of a great team of leadership experts. Every time I visit the site I learn something new! Last month, Military Times wrote about us in our mission to bring military leadership lessons to the general public. Here’s a little about what […]
“There is a great cost when you neglect the human connection point in business.” – Susan Steinbrecher, CEO, Steinbrecher And Associates, Inc. I’m a firm believer in the human element in business and in life. After all, the reason we build things, make products, and provide services is for other people. Without “heart”, then we don’t […]
In military aviation, the “wingman” is responsible for protecting the lead in a two-ship formation. As the “Lead” prosecutes the target, the “Wingman” watches his back and calls out threats. In this “two-ship” formation, there’s a leader and a follower, but they work together to accomplish the mission and get everyone back home. Put another […]
The phrase “Hail Mary” to describe a desperate long pass down the field entered the NFL lexicon after a Dallas Cowboys vs Minnesota Vikings playoff game in 1975 when Cowboys’ quarterback Roger Staubach connected with receiver Drew Pearson in what turned out to be the game-winning play. Despite the glamour of the Steve Sabol narrated NFL films, few […]
Pixar’s Edna Mode has a few things to teach about leadership darling.
Near my home in Hawaii is a stream that leads out to the ocean where I often paddle my kayak. It’s also where the local outrigger canoe club practices. I’d seen the outrigger canoes many times on television, but the first time I found myself in the water with them I was surprised by the […]
Generational differences are nothing new, but each generation seems to find new ways to separate themselves from their parents. Sometimes it’s intentional as in the Parisian students’ social rebellions of 1968, and sometimes it’s just coincidence and technology that widen the generation gap. In any event, for leaders to be effective we need to make an attempt […]
“Learn from the mistakes of others – you don’t have time enough to make them all yourself.” -G.K. Chesterton There’s a whole new crop of new freshmen out there, so I thought I’d share the advice I gave to my son when he departed for […]
Our world is very noisy and very busy. In fact the world is so loud, it’s hard for leaders to find the space for reflection and thinking. The way we fill up our world with noise and activity, you’d think we’re actually afraid of silence. Consider this: most of us wake to an alarm and […]
There’s a lot of leadership lessons to be learned from sports. It’s football season again, and as teams get tuned up for the regular season, it’s worth reflecting on the success of the champions in drains just concluded. While it may not be necessary to win an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship like the University of […]
Lead people for any length of time and you’re bound to fail. I know there’s a lot of Type A’s out there who are convinced they never fail, but I assure you, if you’ve been leading for more than 5 minutes you have failed! So all you high achievers, you who’ve been number one at […]
Too often leaders focus all their energy on process. There’s only so much gas in the tank, and there’s usually tremendous pressure to perform. The nuts and bolts of the business can consume leaders’ time to the detriment of taking care of the people who are actually doing the work. Effective leaders are able to […]
Actress Jessica Alba is known for her work in television and films, but if her new company Honest is successful, she’ll be known for her business acumen as well. In this HLN video we get a very brief intro to Honest, but it’s enough for me to see the kind of organizational culture employees value. […]
I’ve written many times about how a leader’s most important responsibility is taking care of the people under his/her charge. A mission focus is important, but unless someone is leading robots, then leaders have to take care of their people. The phrase we often use in the military is “Keep The Troops In The Shade,” […]
I’ve noticed organizations and institutions spend a lot of time telling young people the “don’ts”, we spend very little time telling them the “do’s”, or who we want them to be. The rules are important, everyone needs boundaries, but if we don’t give our young people some positive vision of the kind of people we want […]
Not a day goes by that I don’t hear about some celebrity or public figure getting in trouble for something they posted on social media. The opportunities the internet offers for collaboration, publishing, and discussion have a dark side as well. Imprudent posting by leaders can end up coming back to haunt an organization, or […]
Executive perks are in the news again. I’ve seen far too many leaders begin to believe their own press and believe those perks are their right rather than a reminder of their responsibility. In my book, Leading Leaders, I touch on this issue: I’ve been privileged to work with and for a number of very […]
A very wise colonel once gave me advice about knowing when to talk and when to keep quiet. He said, Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut. It’s good advice that’s harder to follow than you might think! Leaders are generally talkers. We talk because we need to communicate our ideas, to […]