A Case Study in “Ends Don’t Justify Means”
As leadership is at its heart a “service”, then leaders have a responsibility to being ethical.
Category: Leading Leaders
You Really Can Be Too Flat
That would be a “Denial of Service Attack on the Commander” were the words I heard from strategist when discussing how leaders in flat organizations can become overwhelmed. The world is enamored with “flat organizations,” and along with the organizational agility a flat organization brings, it also can breed organizational paralysis if the leader becomes […]
Sometimes You’re the Windshield, Sometimes You’re the Bug
There’s a fun little song by recording artist Mary Chapin Carpenter called The Bug about how fortune can change quickly, using various funny lines like Sometimes you’re the Louisville Slugger / Sometimes you’re the ball and One day you’re a diamond and then you’re a stone. It’s a humorous treatment of the human condition and […]
Look Outside the Tent
The command post was tense. It was pitch black inside and the inside was illuminated by a few red lights intended to maintain our night vision as we managed the battle raging outside. Our camp had 360 degree security, and I congratulated myself at having repulsed two assaults on the perimeter already. We’d correctly anticipated […]
Leaders Lead with Shared Purpose
Why don’t my employees respond to my leadership? Why don’t their values align with the organization’s values? How do I get my organization to perform at the level I know they’re capable? Those are questions asked often by leaders in every industry and field. Everyone has walked into an office or production floor where […]
See, Now You’re Just Making Stuff Up
The “Silly Season” is no longer confined to August. That makes the leader’s job of setting the proper tone even more important.
Integrity Must be our Watchword
We codify integrity in our organizational values. When we do that, we define what integrity looks like for ourselves and our professional community. Almost every profession has a professional code of ethics, and many firms as well. Honor Codes As professionals, we codify integrity in our organizational values. When we do that, we define what […]
First Line Leaders Get it Done
Strategy is fine, but if tactical leaders aren’t brought in the endeavor is doomed.
Respect for the Institution and Finding Earth
Respect for the institution means finding a way to help, or finding another institution.
Finding the Sweet Spot
Synchronizing the needs of all the stakeholders is vital to successful project management.
Leading Leaders: Little Things Matter
In the quote at left, Bell is actually paraphrasing St Luke’s Gospel where Jesus reminds his followers that trustworthiness doesn’t depend on the size of value of the task. This idea that a leader pays attention to details is the core around the concept of “Little Things Matter.” The task for the leader then, is […]
Leadership Foundations
Sports is a great place to learn leadership
Crimes are Not OK. Ever.
In last week’s post I discussed an example of an “honest mistake” using an example from an HBO dramatization of the Apollo Moon program in the 1960s. Today, we discuss crimes.