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The Shortcut to Fame and Fortune is a Delusion
As Ziggy says as he stands next to the Big Red X – “You are here.” We’ve crested the hill and begun the descent down the slippery slope of something I struggle to name. But I think it’s Pride. The slippery slope has been with us since the beginning of time. It’s the lure of […]
Continue ReadingAre Leaders Still Learning to Lead by Example?
The debate over stimulus package elements, timing, and consequences is deafening. Embarrassing, too, as I listen to people who should know what they are talking about flounder in near-hysteria. The emotion of the times appears to overwhelm the logic. That’s worrisome. As I watch and listen, I wonder: Are we learning anything? Does history offer […]
Continue ReadingStop Moping and Discover Your Capacity Today!
The old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” is being sorely tested these days. Amid government bailouts, struggling schools, and declining communities, one searches far and wide for the kind of toughness that gets going to turn things around. It seems our national self-image as rough-hewn pioneers has melted down to […]
Continue ReadingWhy Leaders Should Understand That New Skill Growth Takes Time
Learning a new skill or adopting new behavior is a process. A process, by definition, consists of numerous steps usually followed sequentially and often requiring that one step be completed successfully before another can begin. Computer processes take a substantial amount of time to design; when complete they can make a lot of work seem […]
Continue ReadingA Word on Our Societal Erosion of Truth
When did it begin, this kinda, sorta, maybe way of thinking that makes right and wrong nothing more than intellectual exercises? When did we become a nation of slick marketing geniuses at the expense of truth, which is the foundation of capitalism? When did a handshake become a chuckle up the sleeve because some dope […]
Continue ReadingIf We Value Critical Thinking Why Are We Not Teaching It?
Read any day’s economic news and you’ll see both sides of ‘reality.’ The recession will continue for up to two more years, according to some. Others say there are bright spots—green shoots—pointing to a recovery by year-end. “We’re in the midst of a crash,” says Warren Buffett. “We are on the road to recovery,” say […]
Continue ReadingA Coping Paradox to Regain Power and Control Over Life
Talk to anyone for ten minutes these days and you’re likely to hear a stream of complaints followed by a long list of offenders. Politicians are currently the Number One Culprit but bosses, parents, teachers, cops, lawyers, even friends and spouses share time on the list. To everyone who bellyaches about things large and small, […]
Continue ReadingA Leader Understands the Importance of Disagreement
I had the great privilege recently to teach a Leadership course for a new MBA program at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. There were twelve women in the class who ranged in age from late twenties to fifty-something and held jobs in organizations from the Fortune 50 to a local county agency. We had some […]
Continue ReadingThe Joy of Learning When You Feel Stuck
Most people hate getting stuck. Whether it’s a problem at work, home or school, or being physically stuck in bad weather or traffic, immobility is irritating. We don’t like being stymied and held down, so a natural reaction is to buck against whatever seems to be constraining us. Which often makes matters worse. Remember the […]
Continue ReadingThe Process of Moving Oneself From Fatigue to Accomplishment
It is the winter of our discontent in Wisconsin where relentless snow, frigid temperatures and dangerous driving conditions are daily fare. I’m an optimist by nature and even I’m getting cranky. I’m tired of shoveling snow, maintaining my balance on icy sidewalks, narrowly missing accidents on snow covered and slippery roadways, and dealing with people […]
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