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Jim Collins talks about the concept above in several of his books. It revolves around a leader who has been unable to foster autonomy in the team. This approach contributes to the slowing of the business. Decisions take longer, customers get scripted service, and the team learns helplessness. It is an easy trap to getContinue reading “The genius with a thousand helpers”

“Just give him an incentive.” This is a line we hear or give when we are trying to figure out how to provide focus or get more out of someone. Sometimes this works. Often times it does not. Human beings have an innate drive to be part of something bigger than themselves and to feelContinue reading “What motivates people?”

The ability to deliver superior financial and operating performance over the long term by aligning around a clear vision, strategy, and culture; to execute with excellence, and to renew the organizations focus overtime by responding to market trends – aka resilience. McKinsey Consulting (paraphrased) Vision drives strategy by showing the entire team what success looks likeContinue reading “How to establish and sustain organizational health”

Leaders have the power to create time! Good initial decisions pay dividends for years, allowing free time and lower stress. Poor decisions waste time, increase anxiety, and drain energy. Good decisions need good thinking. According to Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize winner, slowing your thinking is critical when making important decisions. If you are constantly busy,Continue reading “Leaders Have The Power To Create Time”

In a twelve year old article from Kellogg School of Management, which is also backed up by recent research of how cognitive diversity in a group setting has many positive effects such as: Mitigating unconscious bias Fostering new ideas Merging different ideas Enhanced learning Improved problem solving Better decision making Enhancing compassion, the authors explainContinue reading “Why diverse groups are better for decision making”

The best and worst day of my professional life. I just didn’t know it yet. We were in the middle of The Great Recession. I inherited an inexperienced team. I was working with a skeptical CEO. We lost ~1000 customers that first week. It was my first official day as GM, a role with sizableContinue reading “1/5/2009 – Best and worst day”

I believe that courage is the only attribute that ALL leaders have in common.  Courage combined with a compelling and clear vision are critical to an enduring and valuable company. Courage to defend and promote that unique and compelling vision.  Courage to be vulnerable.  Courage to create an autonomous environment.  Courage to trust that autonomy.  Courage to correct mistakes as learning toContinue reading “Do you have what it takes to be a great leader?”

My guess is almost every aspect. I am often asked who my best customer is. Every time, I say a humble, hungry learner who is comfortable constantly challenging the status quo. Here is a great set of thoughts on humility from Shane Parrish set up by one of the wisest Stoics:“It is impossible for aContinue reading “What parts of your business have been dictated by someone else without you even realizing it?”

Inspired by my second reading of Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol, here is a list of things to help you work through the complexity of leading a team and running a business. Try to prove your hypothesis wrong – We, too often, try to prove that we are right when the bestContinue reading “Leading a team – It IS Rocket Science”

“Focus on the few things that truly matter, for those that do matter tremendously.” “Fire your unprofitable customers…compassionately.” These are a couple of my favorite sayings. One of my new favorites is to “be unreasonable in your thinking”. That is, look at a situation with fresh, unconventional eyes. When it comes to profit, there areContinue reading “Be a profit prophet, a margin maven”