There is a steady flow of information in the form of books, articles, white papers and training all in the context of [“what is leadership” or “how to develop a leader”]? In this issue, I will avoid those two questions and write about two others that I believe might be on the minds of a...Read More

We’ve all heard that leaders should lead by example; that people pay more attention to our deeds than our words. This is completely true. What is implied by this truth, but not always articulated, is that people will follow whatever example we set. To be a remarkable leader then, we must make conscious choices to...Read More

Many motivational experts like to say that leaders are made, not born. I would argue the exact opposite. I believe we are all natural born leaders, but have been deprogrammed along the way. As children, we were natural leaders – curious and humble, always hungry and thirsty for knowledge, with an incredibly vivid imagination; we...Read More

Whenever we think of leadership, we turn to the Internet to learn more about it. However, all you have to do is to read this article to learn more. There seems to be a real deficit in good leadership and a large surplus of poor and pathetic leadership in many businesses today. One can easily...Read More

Every meeting provides an opportunity to learn important things about the people who attend. Here’s what to watch for: > Is it planned? Effective leaders always begin with clearly defined goals and then prepare plans for achieving them. They have the courage to set a direction and then make changes as new information becomes available....Read More

You’ve made an unusual discovery – there’s not enough time left at the end of the day. The corollary, of course, is your list of important things to do never gets smaller. In any company, the CEO’s to-do list has the potential to grow infinitely. What’s a senior executive to do? This is not simply...Read More

At the age of 36, Michael Abrashoff was selected to become Commander of the USS Benfold – at the time, the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The immediate challenges that faced him were staggering: Exceptionally low morale with unacceptably high turnover. Few thought that this ship could improve. In many ways, the...Read More

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with General Tommy Franks (retired), former head of US Central Command, a role that effectively put him in charge of all US military operations in 25 countries, from Egypt to Central Asia. In his role, Franks acquired a reputation for no-nonsense, practical leadership and genuine care for those...Read More

I hear four questions asked about leadership often.  This article gives a short answer to each of these important questions. Why Does Leadership Matter? Parents universally hope that their children develop leadership qualities.  They know that leaders are people who are effective in what they do, are respected by others, and typically rewarded for those...Read More

The first area that we look at is that of Personal Attributes. This is a blend of knowledge, expertise, and competencies, encapsulated in the approach, the behaviour, of the leader. In organisations of all sizes and in all sectors, public and private, these characteristics are key to effective leadership. The essential personal attributes are as...Read More