Time is a Tool of Creativity
Like many, I was raised on the Benjamin Franklin adage that “Time is Money.” In his 1748 essay on Advice to a Young Tradesman, Franklin warned of throwing away opportunity on “Diversion or Idleness.” So, early in my career when I was a rookie market researcher, I pushed myself to work as many hours as I could log in a week. More time on the job equaled more projects completed, more client experience, and a swifter climb up the organizational ladder. That was until an…
Swimming Away From Shore
Swimming instructors warn us not to venture too far into deep waters. The risks get higher and higher the farther we swim away from shore. The fears of disabling fatigue, loss of direction, and overpowering currents all serve to give us pause before jumping headlong into the waves. Is the joy of adventure worth a bad outcome that we can’t undo? Knowing that I’m by no means an Olympic swimmer (and I would never encourage risky behavior), I prefer to keep closer to where my…
Millennials Don’t Care About “The 7 Habits”
Steven Covey wrote the seminal book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in 1989 and I was one of the first to read it. This was just a great read and still filled with great advice and truths that are applicable today. His premise, to begin with an end in mind, is just plain sticky, as they say. It makes as much sense now as it did then. How can you accomplish anything of great complexity or value if you don’t have an end-result,…
Faith Lost is Difficult to Regain
Consistency is one of the most valuable, yet often-overlooked leadership principles required for successful transformation. Consistency demonstrates clearly your commitment to your principles and consistency gives people a reason to seek out your leadership. People need to know what to expect and how you will treat them when they knock on your office door or schedule a short-notice video conference call—no matter who they are or where they fall in the org chart. The slightest insincerity or inconsistency can very quickly undermine someone’s belief in…
Battling Organizational Elasticity
People and organizations are like rubber bands: you can try to stretch them, but they have a tendency to snap back to the way they were before you started. It sounds cliché to say it, but change is hard. Change is really hard when you have a history of success in your business or a history of failure in a new business or strategy. Every signal you get from the organization and from your view of your collective history tells you just to keep executing…
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