There are many things that leaders strive to do and be. Here are 5 things that we… at the Exceptional Leaders Lab… believe are the cornerstones for effective leaders. 1. Purposeful Self Improvement. Leadership is a skill. One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that it is an innate quality. Nothing could be further […]
If you’ve been at the same company for a long time and are leading a new team…..OR….if you are brand new to leadership, these are the questions you need to identify, understand, and leverage during your transition. 1. Where is my upside? -Undeveloped talent -Offices, departments, or divisions trending poorly -Market opportunities -People who may […]
First of all, congratulations! Being asked to take over a new area of responsibility is a fantastic opportunity for a leader. The best part of a new leadership opportunity is that it allows you to look at your opportunities with fresh eyes. Everyone gets a clean slate, the people on the team and the leader […]
Last week’s blog was regarding what you needed to know about Introverted Leaders. I received several private emails (I guess most introverts don’t want to post publicly!) thanking me for the information and also a few extroverts asking to bring balance to the conversation by talking about the virtues (with some warnings thrown in) of […]
You seem cool, calm, and collected. People think you’re either very wise or completely oblivious to what is going on, but we both know you aren’t. In a society that values the fast talker, the first to speak, the one holding court at the front of the room, let’s agree that this short-sided point of […]
Managing leadership stress is critical. Leaders do not have the luxury of being grumpy or volatile in front of their people. Those are indulgences that you can no longer claim when you’re charged with leading people. Many people will never become truly effective leaders or have responsibility for others simply because they cannot hold themselves […]
Too many people are so busy they have forgotten about being productive. There is a huge difference and top performers know it. Productive is doing the things that make you or the company money. It’s doing the things that have the greatest impact on the business (or your life). It’s not just pounding through some […]
1. Leadership is influence. Exceptional leaders influence decisions, enthusiasm, actions, possibilities, confidence, beliefs, direction, and culture. Influence is what an exceptional leader does, and it shows up in myriad ways. The tactics can and will change; the definition will not. 2. Leadership is not a talent. Leadership is a skill and a craft. It can […]
…..committed to your own personal growth. How can you be trusted to help cultivate other people’s potential when you aren’t living up to your own? It’s one of the biggest reasons people ultimately fail at developing other people, which is the primary function of leadership…AND of parents! Most people have heard the phrase “fake it […]
