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February 10, 2014
Building & Leading High-Performance Teams-7 Questions Leaders Ask
What’s good for the general is also good for the corporate leader!
Effective leaders ask many questions – and listen to the answers they receive. Great leaders act on what they hear.
A right of passage for first year cadets (plebes) at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA) requires the memorization of a wide range of information and the accurate recitation of the details when requested by upperclassmen. The objective of the exercise, according to the guidebook of the time, was to develop memory retention skills and the ability to perform...Continue reading
By Karen KuhlaPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on February 10, 2014
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January 22, 2014
Leading With Integrity-From West Point to Chairman of the Board
Executive Insight from William Murdy, Chairman, Comfort Systems USA, & Thayer Leader Development Group
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow West Point graduate, William F. (Bill) Murdy, Chairman of Comfort Systems USA (Houston) (NYSE: FIX), a $1.3 billion company providing heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) installation and services in the commercial/industrial/institutional sector. In addition to his extensive experience and knowledge in the corporate world, his recent venture into executive training through the creation of The Thayer Leader Development Group brings a...Continue reading
By Dan WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on January 22, 2014
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January 12, 2014
Crafting Your Own Personal Leadership Philosophy
What It Takes To Be Credible As A Leader
“Stand upright, speak thy thoughts, declare
The truth thou hast, that all may share.
Be bold. Proclaim it everywhere.
They only live who dare.”
- Voltaire
To be effective and inspiring as a leader, you must do what Voltaire describes in this quatrain. Developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy (PLP) will empower you to declare YOUR truth and stand tall within it, to operate from a position of strength that ennobles you.
It is a common practice in all...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on January 12, 2014
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November 3, 2013
Developing An Emotionally Intelligent Organization
Breaking Down EQ Barriers By Giving Your Organization a Voice
Over the last few months I’ve spent a lot of time talking with executives about emotional intelligence and the impact it has on results. One individual whom I would deem as highly emotionally intelligent expressed disappointment in his own executive peer group. During their recent strategy session the dialog was focused on results, structural reasons for results, external market reasons for results, any reason for results that did not require an understanding or accountability for what is...Continue reading
By Lisa WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on November 3, 2013
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October 13, 2013
The Weight of Your Words
Your words have weight. That’s why you should wait to speak them.
As a senior-level manager, your words are weightier than they used to be. When you speak, people listen and respond. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Of course, it’s helpful that your words (backed by your authority) are taken seriously and compel action. But there’s another side of the coin to consider. Do people sometimes put more stock in what you say than what you intended?
This can happen when you forget your role and speak casually about almost any topic. I recently...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on October 13, 2013
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September 8, 2013
The Single Most Important Management Tool to Grow Your Business
Is your organization ready to succeed?
What is the most important management tool? Good question, I’m glad you asked. First let’s define Why it’s important to you and every other Manager or Leader interested in growing, fixing, or changing their bottom line results. No matter what you are trying to achieve in your business, the best strategy in the world is completely ineffective without the ability to implement it effectively. Business leaders get stuck defining the best strategy for their...Continue reading
By Lisa WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on September 8, 2013
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August 22, 2013
Leading Through Crisis: Are You Coping Or Leading With Courage?
5 “Pause Practices” To Help Ensure Decisions & Values Align
Leading or Managing during times of crisis requires the ability to make tough decisions. The question is how do you know you are making the best decisions for you and your business? It’s a falsity to think that making quick decisions under pressure is the sign of a great leader. On the contrary, decisions we make while in crisis mode are often triggered by fear instead of sound strategy. Stepping back and pausing under pressure a great way to ensure your decisions are sound. ...Continue reading
By Christina HaxtonPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 22, 2013
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August 11, 2013
Leadership Presence: 3 Behaviors People Gravitate Toward
Do You Show Up As a Leader?
When people ask me how they can make others see them as a leader, I think of the classic children’s story The Emperor’s New Clothes. That’s the one where the vain emperor is duped into believing his clothing has been woven from the finest (invisible!) fabrics and threads. He proudly parades through town wearing these elegant new (invisible!) clothes, unaware that he is wearing absolutely nothing.
Being a leader is often misunderstood in this same way. People mistakenly believe if...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 11, 2013
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August 9, 2013
How True Leaders Demonstrate Unwavering Integrity
Checklist & Action Plan for Making Decisions With Integrity
The dictionary defines integrity as a firm adherence to a code of especially moral and ethical principles demonstrating a soundness of character and honesty. The question: are these the first words that come to mind when thinking of corporate, business or political leaders? Ken Stinson, former CEO, private equity principal and member of multiple corporate boards had the following to say at a corporate meeting several years ago,
“Real life temptations are not always so clear-cut. They more...Continue reading
By David ShafferPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 9, 2013
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August 5, 2013
Strategic Leadership-How Strategic Are You?
Three Key Components To Transform Strategy Into Results
When we talk about being strategic we focus more on thinking and planning, than on leading and achieving. The reality is that “being strategic” requires both; it’s the full transformation from dream to result. It’s not that we forget to transform our vision, but often our approach to leading that change is not effective enough to generate our desired results. Here is a model for strategic transformation-how to make your vision real.
Thinking &...Continue reading
By Lisa WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 5, 2013
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