I haven't done this a great deal but I thought you might be interested. Yesterday, at a session with a client (the top management of an organization), I received a question on President Obama's upcoming speech on Afghanistan. At the time of my session, the speech had not yet been made. This person wanted to know my historical "take" on it ahead of time. As it turned out, I didn't watch or listen … [Read more...]
June 21, 2011 by
Remember that I said I had designed a new session on the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition? As I noted before, it was a great success with the first client to experience it. I'd like to share with you one of the many compelling points in the session and content. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were co-leaders of the expedition to explore and gather information about the upper … [Read more...]
June 21, 2011 by
I'm designing a new session for my "Leadership Now Seminars." You may recall that these are done for small groups comprised of individuals from various backgrounds and organizations. The size limit is typically 6 to 8 people. The session length is approximately two-and-a-half to three hours. The new topic will be leadership in an economic fallback, such as the one we're currently experiencing. … [Read more...]
June 10, 2011 by
Sorry to give it another go in this round but couldn't help myself. I wonder if the dons, deans, and dolts at Goshen College have also banned the Old Testament. I'm no Biblical scholar and certainly no expert spiritual pacifist, but the Old Testament is rife with war and warlike text. You better be ignoring Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and a host of others. Lest you get the wrong idea, I'm not a … [Read more...]
June 10, 2011 by
One of the most provocative moments in my session on Flight 1549 and your leadership is the question about Sullenberger's interaction with passengers during the ill-fated flight. He only speaks to them once while they are airborne. He states, "Brace for impact." In hindsight, Sullenberger has admitted that he regrets his overall silence with the passengers. I've researched the flight very … [Read more...]
June 1, 2011 by
They live in separate houses. They have different families. They conduct distinct lives. Yet, they form into a tight-knit group. Over time, their closeness even transcends the gaps of home, family, and daily life. You will see them together and when you see one of them apart, you wonder where the rest of them are. They are a number of people in your organization, or your neighborhood, or your … [Read more...]
May 24, 2011 by
Sitting in a non-descript library, I began to tear up. I was watching a video of Secretariat's victory in the Belmont, the final of the three Triple Crown races. The race was in June 1973. I was 11 years old at the time. The video was the actual footage of the race, including the post call by Chic Anderson. In the background was symphonic music. The end of the clip included both still shots and … [Read more...]
April 28, 2011 by
See if any of this sounds like you or someone you know. I'm sharing this business story about myself because it might be helpful. One of the biggest things that's changed for my business is how my clients, actual or prospective, define the future. Prior to the Great Recession, I often had engagements scheduled eight, ten, or twelve months in advance. After the Great Recession, not so much. It's … [Read more...]
April 25, 2011 by
Nearly every day, on an interstate highway, I drive by a pond dug when they constructed the four (now six) lane road that I travel on. It's in a fairly dense retail area. Back in the late 1970s, when I was in high school, there was a well-known restaurant that sat on the bank of the pond. It was called The Wharf. I always wanted to take a date there, to the Wharf. It struck me as the kind of … [Read more...]
April 21, 2011 by
Here are the four key points I used yesterday in my session on Jefferson and leadership. As you know, this was my first offering of the session. So, these were the immediate four points that jumped out at me in designing the material. I think you'll see their immediate relevance to you. First, Jefferson had extraordinary vision. Your leadership begins with and revolves around a single key trait … [Read more...]
