Confidence is absolutely necessary to be a successful leader. And yet, gone too far, it can become arrogance and can lead to poor decisions – even disastrous decisions. How do we find a balance? One way to balance this is long term versus short term confidence. Long Term: “I am confident in . . . . . . the importance of our mission and the impact we make.” . . . the … [Read more...] about The Dark Side of Confidence
leadership
Experts Get Stuck in Status Quo
When you are stuck in the status quo there are a lot of things you miss. Opportunities are one of them. If you are sure that there is no better way of going about doing what you are doing, then you will for sure miss Opportunities. If you are an expert and you know that this certain way of doing things is the right way, then you will not see Opportunities for new ways to … [Read more...] about Experts Get Stuck in Status Quo
When Your CEO Retires
You are a Board member for a nonprofit and, at a regularly scheduled Board meeting, your CEO gives her two week notice. Even though she is 68 years old, you and other Board members are somehow shocked. I hope this does not happen to you or your organization, but it could. One reason is that many Boards and staff alike are in denial about leadership succession. They … [Read more...] about When Your CEO Retires
Thriving in a VUCA World
Earlier this week I attended the annual conference of the Executive MBA Council where directors of these programs from across the globe gather once a year to share best practices, concerns, and plans for the future. A common concern that was expressed: “How do we prepare executives to survive in VUCA world?” Indeed, the environment in which we all operate is … [Read more...] about Thriving in a VUCA World
“Nice Guys” Finish . . .
Which group is least successful in their work life? “Givers” who are characterized by being helpful, compassionate, caring, and kind? Or “Takers” who are always looking out for what is best for themselves? It turns out that “Givers” make up this least successful group. And the most successful? “Givers” as well! What’s going on here? It turns out that some “Givers” … [Read more...] about “Nice Guys” Finish . . .