personal growth

Leadership Thought #407 – Fear Sells, But The Costs Can be Significant

I don’t remember growing up in a fearful society, but I feel like I live in one now. Just turn on the TV, listen to the radio, and read the newspaper; someone will eventually try to scare you.  We all seem emotionally fragile and quick to identify an enemy or cause for our concern. The news media have perfected this art so well that they have helped to perpetuate a more neurotic generation in a time when almost every violent crime statistic and adverse health indicator is either significantly lower or at least comparable to those from our childhood (and our population has grown considerably during this time).

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Leadership Thought #406 – Be Open To Possibilities

A strange thing happens to us as we age. We become more risk adverse and less open to the learning and growth possibilities abundant in life. We get set in our ways and habits. Our worldview becomes fixed. We are less willing to challenge our own perspective and very judgmental of others who disagree with whet we think. We tend to look backwards not forwards on social issues. The past gets sentimentalized while the future is rife with doubt and uncertainty. We are skeptical that the younger generation has what it takes to solve the problems that ironically enough our generation created. We become closed rather than open to possibility.

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Leadership Thought #395 – First, You Have to Believe in Yourself

I’ve met many talented people through the years who struggle with self-confidence and low self-esteem. I don’t know if it is how they were raised by their parents or other environmental factors in their lives growing up, but it is often surprising to see and also a bit sad. Unfortunately, leadership roles aren’t always assumed by the most capable or well intentioned people. I’ve seen the flip side of this issue where people with too much self-confidence put themselves in positions they have no business being in. The leadership void will get filled one way or another.

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Leadership Thought #382 – Dealing with Anger

Today I received some very disturbing news. It was information that would make anyone angry. There is nothing worse than betrayal especially when you have a long history with someone and have trusted them. It never ceases to amaze me how people will rationalize their behavior and not take personal responsibility. The fact is that actions do have consequences and sadly there is often collateral damage to an individual’s behavior that can linger a lifetime and affect many people. A pebble will cause a ripple in the ocean whether the act is good or bad – it is important to always remember this.

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Leadership Thought #380 – Change Is a Fact of Life

Change is a fact of life. Like or not we will get older. Our minds will get sharper then grow duller. Out bodies will get hard then grow softer. Friends will come and go. Loved ones will enter this world while others exit. If we have children, they will grow up and become independent adults and leave the nest. Our careers will follow a natural arc of emergence, growth, maturity and decline. We will have periods of minimal responsibility and other moments where it feels like we are overwhelmed with life/work obligations. It is difficult to grasp at times, but very few things will ever stay the same.

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Leadership Thought #362 – Never Stop Learning

Leaders should be in a constant learning mode. Once you think you know it all, give up the reins of power because you will become detrimental to your organization. While some fundamental beliefs may remain true regardless of the circumstances, most of what happens in business is in a constant state of flux. Your goal should be to stay ahead of the change curve, not fall behind it. One way to do this is to keep asking questions and seeking answers. You can never be smart enough.

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Leadership Thought #359 – Believe in Yourself

You must believe in what you are doing before you can fully believe in yourself. Life is a constant search for meaning and understanding. The tragedy of many people’s lives is that they are unwilling to put themselves out there because they won’t put forth the required effort, are afraid of public scrutiny, and lack the courage of their convictions. Being the hero of your own life isn’t easy.

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Leadership Thought #346 – Are You Listening?

Most people I know are not good at listening. They prioritize their thoughts and opinions over actively listening to others. I have a colleague who states that, as a leader, you need to “listen until it hurts,” and I agree with him. How well we believe the other person heard us determines our level of satisfaction after a conversation.

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Leadership Thought #344 – Every Day is A Gift

So much about life comes down to your attitude about it. I know privileged people who are regularly misanthropic and others with less economic advantages that seem to be mostly happy even though their lot in life seems comparatively difficult. Every day we wake up we get to make a choice about how we approach our life. We can see our existence as an amazing gift full of unlimited possibilities or a burden full of work, obligations and limitations. We can appreciate what we have or yearn for what’s beyond our reach. We can make a positive difference in the lives other people or focus exclusively on ourselves. We can build bridges to solidify positive relationships or forget to tend to the basic maintenance of effective human interaction.

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Leadership Thought #340 – Are You Getting Better?

In business (and life), you are either growing and getting better or going in the opposite direction. Just like your muscles, your brain and natural abilities will atrophy if they don’t get exercise. You can’t stand still and expect progress. I’ve observed many individuals who gave up too soon. A little more effort and commitment could have made a significant difference. Furthermore, it’s sad when a leader stays on too long and becomes more interested in ego, power, and position than in effectively navigating change and facilitating progress.

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