Tag Archives: success

Development is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

performance review“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” – Chinese Proverb

“The man who moved a mountain was the one who began carrying away small stones.” – Chinese Proverb

It’s that time of the year again, the time in which managers sit down with their team members and provide feedback on their respective performance over the prior year.  And while these reviews should merely be a confirmation of performance feedback that management provides throughout the year, they are an opportunity for a deeper discussion on the impact of that performance and the trajectory it foretells for us as individual contributors.

Understanding one’s performance in the recent past is always helpful.  But what I’ve found to be more important in these reviews are the discussions around professional development – the opportunity it provides for each individual to establish a formal development plan and improve their performance as a member of the team while positioning them for future growth as an individual.  Continue reading →

The ‘Softer’ Skills are Just as Important…Maybe Even More

“Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think” – Albert Einstein

“No great improvements in the lot of mankind are possible until a great change takes place in the fundamental constitution of their modes of thought.” – John Stuart Mil

As I write this week’s leadership message, I sit 30,000 feet above the ground on a flight to Washington D.C.  I’ve been invited to participate in a series of workshops tomorrow with The Hope Street Group, an initiative chaired by the U.S. Department of Education that strives to bring together the right institutions towards the common goal of developing tools and solutions at the complex intersection of workforce supply and demand.  In other words, The Hope Street Group wants to develop a better way for our country to both understand the specific skills needs of our employers while bridging the gap for the development of the proper skills of potential job candidates in our communities. Continue reading →

Building an Effective Team

“There is no I in Teamwork.” – Unknown

“The ratio of We’s to I’s is the best indicator of the development of a team.” – Lewis B. Ergen

“Teamwork divides the task and doubles the success.” – Unknown

“A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skill of the others.” – Norman Shidle

Over the last several weeks, it seems I have had occasion to talk to a number of new business owners working to grow their company.  Encouragingly, there is a growing base of business leaders interested in building organizations that accomplish something different, something more.  They have a restlessness about them – a willingness to challenge old paradigms and think outside the box.  There is no shame in their approach as they question their own judgment and learn from the lessons of others.  To borrow a phrase from my friend Mark Cahill, they are willing to “steal with pride”, and I love the prospect this foretells for the future of business. Continue reading →

A Child’s Perspective on Business

“There is only one boss.  The customer.   And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” – Sam Walton

I recently had the privilege to speak to a group of young African American boys about leadership and what it takes to be successful.  This particular program (put together and hosted by our own Rick Rodgers) was designed to help these young boys develop the skills necessary to become tomorrow’s leaders.  It included a number of presentations with respected business leaders in the community (CEOs, CFOs, etc), as well as a group project to develop a business plan for a potential endeavor.  In short, it was a multi-day course that will no doubt enrich the lives of these young boys. Continue reading →

Why Does a Tree Grow?

Trees

“The power to learn is present in everyone’s soul, and the instrument with which each learns is like an eye that cannot be turned around from darkness to light without turning the whole body.” – Plato

“To know that light falls and fills, often without our knowing, as an opaque vase fills to the brim from quick pouring, fills and trembles at the edge yet does not flow over, still holding and feeding the stem of the contained flower.” – Will Rogers

“If you want to be truly successful, invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.” – Sidney Madwed Continue reading →

A Little Soccer Anyone?


A little soccer?“Only true champions come out and show their worth after defeat – and I expect us to do that”  – Alex Ferguson, long-time Manager for the Manchester United football club

My travels have me in London today, which gave me the inspiration for this week’s quote and leadership message.  After a weekend of watching soccer matches (or football as the rest of the world calls it), I think it is fitting to feature one of the most successful managers in soccer – Alex Ferguson – for my weekly leadership message.  Tonight Alex Ferguson will lead his Manchester United team on the field for a game against Aston Villa, and a win will clench their 20th Premiere League championship.

First, a little about Manchester United (or “Man-U” as they are referred to here).  As soccer goes, Man-U is probably one of the most storied franchises in the world.  Founded in 1878, the club/team has more titles/championships than any other soccer franchise in the UK, including a record 19 league titles, 11 FA Cups, four league cups, and a dozen other titles including FIFA and UEFA World Cup championships.  They are one of the wealthiest and widely supported soccer clubs in the world, recently valued at over $3 billion ($1.2 billion higher than the next most valuable sports team). Continue reading →

Drivers, and Danica, Start Your Engines!

Daytona500“You spend a lot of time thinking about what to do when the time comes. I kept asking up above what was working. You needed a hole, you needed people to help you out.”

[Danica Patrick – comments from her Daytona 500 post race interview when asked about her strategy on the last lap]

Unless you haven’t picked up a paper or watched the TV this last week, you no doubt heard the headlines about this year’s Daytona 500.  It was the first time in history that a female driver won the pole position for any NASCAR race.  But this wasn’t just any NASCAR race – it was the Daytona 500, their most coveted event.  Because of this, the hype for this year’s race was bigger than any other in history. Continue reading →

Losing Your Way

“If you’ve been successful {with your company}, I want you to be completely terrified.” – Jim Collins, well-known author and expert on business leadership

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the American Staffing Association’s annual 2012 Staffing World Conference as a guest speaker.  The keynote speaker for this conference was none other than Jim Collins, one of THE leading experts on business leadership.  He’s written a number of notable books, including “Good to Great”, “Built to Last”, “Great by Choice”, and “How the Mighty Fall”.  I would venture to guess that a fair number of you have read his works and are big fans.  If you have not, and if there is only one leadership book you should read, it is his first book – “Good to Great”. Continue reading →