Yesterday, we looked at how  Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, Tom Clancy, and Andy Warhol spent their time.

How can we apply the lessons from this diverse group of incredibly successful people?  Dan Martell asks in his book  Buy Back Your Time.

We begin by creating a 2×2 matrix where we analyze how valuable each task we are doing in terms of (1) money and (2) … continue reading

David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, was among the first executives to embrace the power of purpose.

Back in 1960, talking to HP’s training group, he said: “I want to discuss why a company exists in the first place,” he began.

“In other words, why are we here? I think many people assume, wrongly, that a company exists simply to make money. While this is an important result of a … continue reading

1: “Most companies don’t execute well,” says JPMC CEO Jamie Dimon. “This is about execution and getting disciplined, like it’s exercise. It’s about getting to the specifics, looking at the right measures and making the right decisions.”

Yesterday, we looked at the importance of metrics and analytics.  The next important lever is leading team meetings.  It starts with setting expectations for attendance.

“Unless you’re in the hospital or … continue reading

1: Imagine taking our seat at a classical music concert. We arrive early, and the orchestra is warming up.  

“And it’s a very unpleasant noise because they’re all doing their own flourishes,” observes U.S. Bancorp CEO Richard Davis in CEO Excellence by  Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra.

“Suddenly, they stop,” Richard describes. “And then out of stage right comes a human being holding nothing more … continue reading

1: When Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors in 2014, she immediately faced a crisis that would shape her leadership philosophy.

At least 124 people were dead because of a faulty ignition issue with General Motors’s cars. The company had been aware of the problem for more than a decade.  

Mary responded quickly. More than 29 million cars were ultimately recalled.

There was, however, a more significant learning for … continue reading

1: “The Tour de France is one of the world’s most grueling sporting events,” McKinsey consultants Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book  CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.

“Over three summer weeks,” they note, “about twenty teams with eight riders each push themselves to the limit, pedaling through two thousand miles of terrain including … continue reading

1: The best CEOs establish a mindset for their leadership teams.

“The top team is every member’s ‘first team,'” McKinsey consultants Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.

“The best CEOs are unequivocal on this issue,” Carolyn, Scott, and Vikram note. “This means that everyone is expected to put the … continue reading

Martin Luther King Jr. is a personal hero of mine, and Taylor Branch‘s Parting the Waters is one of my favorite books.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I’m sharing a column from Boston Globe writer Jeff Jacoby I read last week that I found interesting.

TITLE: Black patriotism and Martin Luther King Jr.

by Jeff Jacoby

IT IS often forgotten that Martin Luther King Jr. was … continue reading

1: “Managers are thermometers, and leaders are thermostats,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.

Managers react to what happens.  They solve problems and deal with the here and now.  They measure things and report out results. 

“Leaders influence their environment,” Carolyn, Scott, and Vikram write.  ”  They alter people’s … continue reading

1: “In God we trust, all others bring data,” management scientist W. Edwards Deming once said.

“The best CEOs adhere to this mantra,” Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra write in their book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. 

“Our decision-making principles insist on evidence,” says former Intuit CEO Brad Smith.  “One of the mottos is, ‘Because of (blank), … continue reading