There is an epidemic in organizations today that some people romantically call a “flat structure.” A slow but steady shift has taken place in organizations over the past several years. The result is that managers are leading larger teams than ever, often with significantly less administrative or organizational support. Responsibilities continue to multiply, but the … [Read more...] about When Your Team is Too Big
Leadership
Strategy KISS
We often overcomplicate things. Every now and then it helps to follow the KISS Principle: Keep It Super Simple. As someone who has written a book about strategy, and teaches both corporate strategy and nonprofit strategy at University of Maryland, I can definitely complicate strategic planning. But let’s keep it simple. The first thing I ever learned about strategy is … [Read more...] about Strategy KISS
The Person in the Arena
Following his Presidency, Theodore Roosevelt gave a famous speech in Paris in 1910 which became known by many as “The Man in the Arena” speech. It was a call to everyone in the world to have courage in the face of criticism. Below is the segment most often quoted: "It is not the critic who counts; not the [person] who points out how the strong [person] stumbles, or where … [Read more...] about The Person in the Arena
Are These Beliefs Holding You Back?
Every leader eventually hits a wall, whether it is a struggle to lead at scale or a sense that they cannot motivate their team to achieve its full potential. In these moments, it is tempting to focus on external obstacles like organizational bureaucracy or employee attitudes. However, recent research reported in Harvard Business Review by Muriel Wilkins suggests that the … [Read more...] about Are These Beliefs Holding You Back?
Develop Your Strengths or Fix Your Weaknesses?
Once upon a time, people believed that if you could just fix all of your weaknesses – you would be a big success. The annual performance review was focused on “what do you need to work on?” These days the “weakness-fixing” era is fading and more people realize that real success is when you can develop your strengths; when you can move from being very good at something to … [Read more...] about Develop Your Strengths or Fix Your Weaknesses?