People, especially people interested in leadership, want to have a plan. They are more comfortable when they can see the whole process laid out in front of them. Many people want to be able to review the first step, the next steps, the contingency plan, and the steps that will achieve the goal.
There is no question that leaders, particularly political leaders have a strong influence on Society, as do leaders of corporations on the culture of the organization. In this post we will be discussing the impact that society, culture, and family have on leaders, as well as those qualities that seem to transcend cultural boundaries.
Human nature is to avoid anything that will take us out of comfort zone. We really tend to avoid anything that will make us uncomfortable or uneasy. Life would be grand if we could only deal with "happy" folks or only hear good news. It would be swell if every project was smooth sailing and [...]
Recently, I was included in a conversation between several persons identified as leaders. It was one of those conversations where you know that significant hidden messages are concealed beneath the words and between the lines. I was so fascinated by the psycho-dynamics that I mulled them for several days.
At the core of leadership is the ability to build relationships. It is why it is essential that a leader should never underestimate the importance of what it takes build healthy relationships. Healthy relationships can have ripple effects from increased productivity to ensuring that whatever situation may arise in the workplace they will know their [...]
Have you ever wrapped up a meeting at work only to realize that your employees couldn't tell you what was said at the meeting? Or better yet, what the point of the meeting was? This is where many business owners realize that they need to seriously look into their management style.
Heat can have many meanings and many outcomes. It depends on the type of heat, the perceiver of that heat, the source of the heat. All of this determines the consequences of the heat. Heat can be both life giving and deadly. Sometimes, there is a hair's breadth of difference between nourishing heat and destructive [...]
This simple formula reminds me that (h)aving the (b)est isn't the same (≠) as (B)eing the (B)est. The difference between upper and lower case letters reminds me which is better with upper case being better of course. Here in Great Britain we have a saying...
Ask any manager and they will tell you that one of the most dreaded situations they face is dealing with emotional employees. It's a situation that no one wants to see happen but more and more plays out in offices today. We need to face the reality that we are living in stressful times and [...]
With the advent of Social Media many quiet and unknown leaders have come to the surface to influence our thinking, behavior, and guide us through very challenging times. The phenomenon is not so much on the platform, but in the opportunities social media has created for many known and unknown leaders to show their true [...]
You are probably aware that work causes anxiety. "Oh no, Blair, I LOVE my work!" Of course you do. But think for a minute: What if someone gave you your ultimate dream job, the promotion that you have been steadily working towards, or whatever the next level is for you, and told you that you [...]
Imagine yourself at the counter with your four-year-old child when she suddenly bursts into tears because you forgot to buy her something she requested from the shop. What would you do if the clerk was impatiently waiting for you to pay, there was a long queue of people behind you and your daughter was crying?
We're programmed from a very young age to believe that failure is a reflection on our personal worth. For most of us, failure is a dirty word. Our resistance to failure prevents us from truly breaking out into the innovative and new. Instead of viewing failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, we view [...]
What comes to mind when you think of a "leader?" In my travels I've spoken with many people about leadership and most fall into 3 camps: position-based, action-based or character-based leadership. Position-based Leadership Some think about leaders as people who are in the position of leadership. They're the person in charge, the boss.
Elisabeth, Catherine and George were all excellent communicators, outstanding in fact, considering the times in which they lived. If their inclination to network and communicate is any indication as to how they might thrive in Social Media today, I believe they would all embrace it passionately, and adapt to the challenges of Leadership in a [...]
Turn to your handy dandy dictionary and I'm pretty sure you find that leader is define as one who leads. Leadership is defined by doing not being. A leader is not define by one title or type of tie or shoe, it's a verb. It's defined in motion and action.
I talk to people about leadership and becoming a leader. Some of them wish they were more effective at being a leader, some wish other people were more comfortable with their leadership, and some are not certain that they even want to be a leader.
Clients always tell me all about the amazing value of their product or service offering. When I chat with their buyers, I find that what the client believes is kicktail value isn't necessarily that powerful in the market. Yet my client was adamant about their coolness factor.
Last year I gave a compelling tele-class demonstration of the powerful use of a "vision board" and how it had worked for me. The very next week the two positive examples I used to illustrate the effectiveness of the "vision board" turned negative, ...in other words the "vision board" no longer told the compelling story; [...]
Honesty: The Secret to a More Profitable Business Honesty is the best policy, plain and simple. But in business, it's more than just good ethics-it's good for your bottom line. In fact, a 2010 study by the Corporate Executive Board that found companies encouraging honest feedback were not only "happier" workplaces, but also more profitable.
My son is an elite junior (16 & Under) tennis player. As his skills try to keep up with his body - some fundamentals are evolving. Case in point - his forehand - typically one of the weapons a player needs to have if he or she has any chance of playing at a high [...]
This week, we welcome Blair Glaser to our final #bealeader Tweetchat of the summer. Never fear, we will meeting every Saturday at 10am in our blogchat here on our blog. Here below is an overview from Blair on tweetchat this Thursday at 7pmET. Yes, it's that topic: the ever elusive Work-Life Balance.
Ode (from the ancient Greek) is a type of Poetic Storytelling. A classic ode is structured in three major parts: the strophe (bonding), the antistrophe (disconnecting), and the epode (reconnecting). Strophe - Bonding: My Dad was my hero. As a child, I loved my Dad's stories about his parents, his neighborhood, the clubhouse and most [...]
One of the perennial questions in the study of Leadership is "What's the difference between Leadership and Management?" This simple question, like all good questions, can lead to extended and sometimes even heated debate amongst those responding. I'm NOT going to use the rest of this post to pose and debate the question.
I have a much broader view of leadership than many in today's culture. It is from that perspective I write this article. My friend and companion has Alzheimer's disease. He was diagnosed with late onset 10 years ago. The doctors were not certain his memory issues were so related, but put him on medication to slow [...]
