[Updated December 28, 2013] Great leaders have extraordinary persistence. Yes, possession of large doses of persistence is a prerequisite for great senior executive leaders. The dictionary defines persistence as, “Firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.” In other words, do not expect persistence to be easy. In fact, it’s hard. For… Read More »
[October 23, 2013] Many years ago in my college days, I saw the movie “Being There” staring Woody Allen and Shirley Maclaine. The movie is about a low intelligent gardener whose only knowledge of the world is from watching television. It is a sort of pre Forrest Gump type movie with the main character who lucks into fame… Read More »
[October 22, 2013] It is said that learning from your mistakes is the best teacher. I think the jury is still out on that judgment but failure certainly provides the most unforgettable opportunity to learn. Senior executive leaders will learn lessons from those failures just like any leader. However, the lessons that senior leaders take away are more… Read More »
[October 20, 2013] Every decision that leaders make involves some level of bias. The problem is not that there is bias, a natural function, but that some biases in decision-making and employee affairs can lead to an incorrect judgment, unfounded conclusions, and uncertainty. Senior leaders are interested in both mission accomplishment and taking care of their employees. Therefore,… Read More »
[October 19, 2013] Humility is defined several ways. However, the meanings used today lead to confusion, especially when employed to describe a leader. First, it can mean lack of confidence or timidity. Or second, it can mean to be humble, lacking pretence, not believing you are superior to others. In some cultures, the language separates the meanings but… Read More »
[October 18, 2013] The photograph is of the crew of the Boeing B-17 “The Memphis Belle.” During WWII, lead by Captain Robert Morgan, the crew flew 29 missions altogether, 25 in this aircraft. I was fortunate to meet retired Colonel Robert Morgan nearly two decades ago and to hear of the exploits of his crew and the combat… Read More »
[October 17, 2013] Unpredictable major events, good or bad, that have a major effect on people, organizations, or society are often justified as destiny after their occurrence. While we cannot predict such events, we can certainly put into place mechanisms that prepare us better to take advantage of them. Taleb called these events “Black Swans.”1 The Honorable Donald… Read More »
[October 16, 2013] Today’s business environment is changing. Companies are struggling to meet the challenges and the opportunities of a communications-centric business environment. This means that the way organizations are lead must keep pace, in part, by retaining their best employees. So, how do we keep the best, first-rate employees? It is common knowledge that keeping any employee… Read More »
[October 15, 2013] As senior executive leaders, it is important that we deal with surprises appropriately. At the executive level we are fond of saying we don’t like surprises, simply because surprises tend to be very large and very bad. How senior leaders deal with a surprise can determine success or failure in our organizations. “What you see is… Read More »
[October 10, 2013] Senior executive leaders need to possess not just more experience and focus, but they must also be capable of exceptional performance. This performance should be an order of magnitude better than average. When I was a new second lieutenant at the Infantry Officer Basic Course in Fort Benning, Georgia, my class of 300 officers were… Read More »