Wisdom from Michael Scott--The Office

The character, Michael Scott, lead in The Office, remains one of my favorite backhanded examples of leadership. In the scene below he's helping Dwight remember some inspiration offered (by Michael) in the past.

A note here, Marshall Goldsmith, the country's leading executive coach and mentor to me and so many others, has said that only thing some executives have to do to improve their leadership is just stop being a jerk!

See how this clip supports that theory: Michael inspires Dwight.

Hedgehog for careers

This is in response to a question posed on Marshall Goldsmith's Harvard Blog.

I think it's great to do what you love until you can't do it anymore. And, I'm not sure we need to set any deadline on that. In my coaching practice I've used the hedgehog concept from Jim Collin's work (Good to Great)to help executives, especially Boomers find their next playing field.

In fact, the other day when talking to a bunch of senior police executives I asked them to draw three intersecting circles. I suggested that in the first circle they place anything that good at now and could become world class with practice and development.

In the next circle, I ask them to look at that list (good-to-great list in the first circle) and put in the second circle only the ones that they're passionate about. Note: many of us are good and could be great at things we just don't like all that much...like driving a car or conducting audits (UGH).

Then in the final circle, I asked them to look at the first two circles and figure out a financial model (a fee process/schedule) that will make them a decent salary if they were to perform the other two circles well. In other words, answer the question: How can I make a living at the other two circles?

If you spend time on this process, the chances of finding something you can love for the rest of your life are pretty good. If you can only fill in the-good-to great circle and the passionate circle (but not the money one), then you have a HOBBY...not a bad thing either.


- Posted by Steve Gladis

Why everyone loves mothers

I’m sitting in a coffee shop writing on a Saturday morning. Something I’ve done for many years. As I’m working on a new book, The Transparent Leader, I noticed a young mother, maybe in her mid-twenties with her 18-month old daughter. I know because I asked her! She let her daughter explore the shop, put her in big chairs to experience them, and held her when she got fussy. That’s when it dawned on me, why mothers as leaders, are so revered and loved. They are constantly engaged in their child’s development. Good mothers never give up on a child, no matter what. And, they’re always acting in the best interest of the child, even when it means disciplining them.


Pretty damned good lesson for us all.

Leadership Voices

Here are some excellent interviews by leaders:

From the Washington Post: Looking to build your business or take your management skills to a higher level? CEOs from recognizable companies and leadership experts weigh in on what skills are needed to succeed.

You have to wait about 15 seconds for the ad to pass...worth the wait.

Turst and Business Development

Just posted this on Suzi Pomerantz's Blog, whic I enjoy: www.suzipomerantz.com

The best business development advice I know started with the work of Aristotle in his book Rhetoric. He said that in order for speakers to be believable, they had to do three things well: Show good sense, good character and good will. These three elements comprise: Trust. With high trust, there is no customer you can’t work with and without it no customer you can work with.
Good Sense is basic competency in your business. In short, knowing your business well. To be of value and even competitive, you must know the substance of your craft.
Good Character is all about honesty, integrity and courage to do the right thing. If a client sees that you stand for what you say…say-do, you deliver what you promise, and make things right when you don’t, there’s little they won’t do for you.
Good Will: Simply put, clients must believe that you have their best interest at heart—you care for them in an enduring way. Trust comes not as a one-shot deal but a sustained relationship that good clients want.
Final word—to be trusted you need all three of these (Good Sense, Good Character & Good Will)…not one or two. And if you do, watch the clients you get and the referrals they’ll send your way.