What keeps you up at night? Agonizing over some thorny decision? Overthinking possible outcomes? Tormenting over the possibility of failure? You are not alone. The hyper-competitive work environment in which we live feeds our imaginations overtime, and, hence, our worries. The great Samuel Johnson, a chronic worrier, labeled worry a “disease of the imagination.” We are … [Read more...] about Using “Worry” to Your Advantage
Leadership
Lean Innovation
Once I was teaching a group of executives about generating innovation through the power of setting almost impossible goals (read more here if you are interested). One executive responded: “So, you want me to risk bankrupting my organization by placing a big bet on a new idea?” “Uhhh, no," I responded. Some people think that innovation is an all or nothing deal and they … [Read more...] about Lean Innovation
How to Become a True “Original”
If you are interested in spurring creativity in your team, leading change, and/or being even more entrepreneurial, then I recommend Adam Grant’s newest book, Originals (2016), to you. Grant was inspired to research creativity and originality after he chose not to invest in the idea for a new company developed by some of his graduate students because they did not fit his … [Read more...] about How to Become a True “Original”
Creating Your Noble Purpose Statement
Every person associated with an organization should be able to explain the Noble Purpose of the organization in an “elevator” speech that is sixty seconds long or less. This builds off the last blog where I discussed Lisa McLeod’s recent book, Leading with Noble Purpose. McLeod uses business examples, but this can easily be translated for nonprofits and government. In … [Read more...] about Creating Your Noble Purpose Statement
Leading with Noble Purpose
In Lisa McLeod’s newest book, Leading with Noble Purpose (2016), she expands the view of her earlier bestselling book, Selling with Noble Purpose (2012), to encourage leaders at all levels to guide their organization’s performance and strategy based on the Noble Purpose for which they exist. For government and not-for-profit entities this idea seems to come naturally as … [Read more...] about Leading with Noble Purpose