I currently have the privilege of participating in the Stagen Leadership Academy’s Advanced Leadership Program.  The name of the program is “The Dragon’s Gap” which refers to Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey.  Each of us in the program is encouraged to embark on our own hero’s journey.  The first step is “the call to adventure.”

In the Stagen program, we are assigned a coach who we meet with once … continue reading

In his book Conscious Business, Fred Kofman explains there are two requirements to answer the question above:

1: Demonstrate the necessary cognitive and technical competence.  To clarify, earning trust is not about leaders showing we can do the jobs of those on our teams.  Rather, we must show we can do our job – i.e. managerial functions such as selecting the right people, assigning tasks appropriately, and providing the … continue reading

“I love molecules,” explains Marcus.  “You apply a certain amount of heat and a certain amount of pressure and you know exactly what is going to happen.  At the start of my career I did great with molecules.  But now I work with people.  People are unpredictable.  You apply a certain amount of heat and a certain amount of pressure, and you never know what’s going to happen.”

Yesterday, we … continue reading

In Jim Collins‘ classic book Good to Great he identifies a group of average companies that make a quantum leap and become extraordinary.  

These eleven companies demonstrated spectacular results, beating the overall stock market by 6.9 times for a minimum of 15 years.  Walgreens, for example, had bumped along as a very average company, tracking the general market for forty years.  Then, in 1975, Walgreens started increasing in value.  … continue reading

Our theme for 2020 at PCI is Trust: the one thing that changes everything.  Today, we’re going to look at an additional strategy to build trust: be vulnerable.

What?!?

What does vulnerability have to do with trust?

Everything.

So says Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

Trust is the foundational element of Patrick’s model.  His first dysfunction is an “absence of trust” amongst team members, which … continue reading

This year as an organization, we have been ferreting out and eliminating practices and behaviors based on negative assumptions or which create first-and second-class citizens.

Yesterday, we examined PCI’s new two-sentence handbook: We trust you to do the right thing for yourself, PCI, and our clients.  Now do it.

Today we look at our new “problem-solving” framework which replaces our prior disciplinary policies.

Which starts with high expectations.  As leaders, it is … continue reading

As leaders, what assumptions do we hold about people?  Do we believe people are lazy?  That they lack integrity and don’t care?

Or, do we believe people have potential?  That they are capable of greatness?

Traditional organizations tend to lean toward the first type of thinking.  Of course, these assumptions aren’t explicit.  No one (hopefully!) goes around saying this is the case.

But, if we examine traditional human resource policies, the assumption is … continue reading

“Twelve ministers and theologians of all faiths and twelve psychiatrists of all faiths had convened for a two-day off-the-record seminar on the one-word theme of healing,” Robert Greenleaf writes in The Servant as Leader.

The Chairman, a psychiatrist, began the seminar by saying, “We are all healers, whether we are ministers or doctors.  Why are we in this business?  What is our motivation?”

“There followed only ten minutes of … continue reading

If there were any.  

“Many otherwise able people are disqualified to lead because they cannot work with and through the half-people who are all there are,” writes Robert Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, his powerful book about leadership.

“It is part of the enigma of human nature that the ‘typical’ person—immature, stumbling, inept, lazy is capable of great dedication and heroism if he or she is wisely led.”… continue reading

What is the trouble with coercive power?

It only strengthens resistance, Robert Greenleaf writes in The Servant as Leader.  “And, if successful, its controlling effect lasts only as long as the force is strong.”

There is a better way.

Persuasion.

Robert shares the story of John Woolman, an American Quaker, who was alive at the time of the American Revolution.  Not many know the story of John Woolman. … continue reading