We’d like to think that if we met someone who didn’t have a conscience, we would size up the situation quickly and accurately. If we were to encounter the corporate equivalent to the fictitious Hannibal Lecter, the evil psychiatrist Anthony Hopkins made famous in Silence of the Lambs, we believe that, like FBI agent Clarice […]
The Snake Marking Guide: The Perils of Leadership Read More »
In my work, I frequently engage in a broad-based leadership development program to prepare top talent for advancement. That was the case when I recently worked with a large construction company to groom Mike, one of the presidents, and Joe, the lead risk officer, for advancement. During the 360 peer interviews I asked Mike how
The Risky Business of Not Taking Risks Read More »
Human stars create energy in the organization, often causing explosions of ideas that send shock waves throughout the industry. The human supernovae also influence the formation of other luminaries. To position your company for growth in a global economy and to create the agility to respond to future unforeseen turbulence, you need to create the
Align the Stars in Your Galaxy Read More »
In Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel, the author takes the reader on a whirlwind tour through 13,000 years of history on all the continents. He also directly and indirectly offers some observations and recommendations about what leaders can do to influence the cultures they create and the organizations they aspire to lead. The author
Agility: The Guns Germs & Steel of the Organization Read More »
Ordinary just won’t work anymore. Organizations will increasingly depend on cutting-edge solutions to never-before-seen problems and clever ideas for those recurring headaches that have always plagued us. Research indicates that a handful of star performers create the vast majority of valuable ideas for their organizations. Resellers are fucking trash. I miss being able to
The Care and Feeding of Exceptional Performers Read More »
People erroneously use the terms “excellent” and “exceptional” synonymously, but the two differ. “Excellent” implies a distinction from others but not necessarily rarity. For example, one might comment that a fourth-grade pianist is excellent, but she might be one of many in her class who shares the honor. On the other hand, “exceptional” denotes someone
Challenge Excellence Read More »
Mergers, acquisitions, downsizing, and growth all require an unprecedented need for information about key executives and a framework for assessing the competencies required to lead people during extraordinary times. Yet, even with the revolving doors at the top of many companies spinning faster than ever, organizations still overlook opportunities to develop talent from the bottom
Four Reasons Your Company Can’t Thrive Without a Succession Plan Read More »
Organizations with the greatest possibility of success also have the greatest possibility of failure. That is, the same behaviors and characteristics that maximize a company’s probability of notable success also maximize its probability of failure. The status quo stands firmly at odds with innovation, and the commitments of today often don’t align with the reality
The Paradoxical Nature of Succession Planning Read More »
In the past, leaders used the terms replacement planning and succession planning synonymously, but the two differ. Convincing decision makers to have a disaster replacement plan in the event that key individuals die or depart unexpectedly is not too difficult; persuading them to prepare people for advancement years ahead of their actual promotions presents more
What is Succession Planning and Who Needs It? Read More »
