Negativity. The terminal cancer of workplace culture. Negativity is like a microscopic germ placed in a warm petri dish. Nestled in an environment with no defenses preemptively built in, it will grow, multiply, and spread so silently and slowly that it’s almost unnoticeable to others until… it’s deadly. When a workplace has a tolerance for people who exhibit negativity, they …
Training for Success
Rapid growth, without the tools to sustain it, is a recipe for failure. Take Diane, for example. Diane was one of the best employees we’ve come across in three decades of dental, healthcare, and executive coaching. Her official title was Practice Administrator. She was a magician — keeping the schedule filled, organizing productive meetings, keeping collections high and accounts receivables …
It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Happy Monday! As I write this week’s Stretch, I’m on a plane to San Diego after attending some professional meetings in Honolulu and indulging in five days of rest and relaxation on Maui. I’m returning rested and recharged with a renewed sense of wonder about the incredible beauty of our world. On the five-hour flight home, I watched the film, …
The Choice is Clear
It’s only occasionally that I’m truly impressed with the level of client service extended to me by an individual. Even more rare is that level of extraordinary service delivered by an entire group of people. But, I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve had consistently excellent service delivered by an entire company nationwide over a five-year …
Practice Makes Perfect
Fall is here and we’re stocking up on firewood, cooking soups, raking leaves, and watching football. As I write this, Tom is addressing the citizens of the town he grew up in at the homecoming community pep rally for the local high school football team. He was in town to celebrate his 40th year high school reunion where his classmates …
All Roads Lead Back to Us
As LionSpeak continues to grow, my team must grow also. Apparently, this presents an opportunity disguised as a challenge for me. Every time we add a new person, I’m eventually, if not immediately, confronted with my own personal leadership abilities (or lack thereof.) I learn and relearn that everything they contribute which delights and pleases me is due to a …
Leadership on the Road
I love traditions. They are like little secrets that bind families, friends, and all kinds of groups together. We recently initiated a brand new tradition in our sweet blended family. Today, we leave for two weeks in England and Ireland with Tom’s grandson, Gabriel. It’s the first “trip of a lifetime” for each one of his (so far) six grandchildren …
Music Monday: Growing Leaders
Meet Aishol-pan. She is 13 years old. She’s strong. She’s brave. And, she’s a total natural. But, when the competition ends, the real test begins. It’s about the courage it takes to soar. That’s a quote from the movie trailer for The Eagle Huntress. This gorgeously-photographed documentary film is about a young Kazakh girl from Mongolia who attempts to become …
Foundations of Leadership
If you walk around New York City, Chicago, or San Diego, it’s a given that you’re going to see a lot of tall buildings. But the only ones which qualify as skyscrapers must be at least 50 stories and over 330 feet tall. Otherwise, you’re just a “super tall” building. The largest building on the planet today is the Burj …
Loving the Fight
One of the reasons that leaders, trainers, workshop leaders, and managers postpone the introduction of a business initiative or change of direction is their fear concerning the objections and negative reactions with which the proposed change will be met when presented. To be more precise, it’s not actually the reaction they worry about as much as their ability to successfully …
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