Imagine The Impact Of Your Work
Last Friday I had the privilege of speaking with a team of leaders – my favorite thing to do. The owner of a local landscaping company asked me to talk with his team about leadership. Eighteen of us gathered in my living room and, over pizza lunch, we talked about the topic. I opened the […]
Living Up To Your Expectations
Dick Lynch is the Global Brand Leader at Popeyes. He tells this remarkable story about his first job out of college: “I had always dreamed of a career in advertising, but could only scrape up enough money to attend a small, rather undistinguished Midwestern college. When I graduated with a business degree, Madison Avenue wasn’t […]
Mere Grasshoppers
When you ask someone – what is the opposite of humility? – the answers come quickly. Arrogance. Egotism. Pride. Superiority. Haughtiness. But when you ask someone – what is humility? – the answers come much more slowly. Meekness. Quietness. Modesty? So what does humility mean at work? And what would it look like if you […]
Your Piece Of The Puzzle
Anyone working on a jigsaw puzzle this summer? Have you ever worked for hours and hours on a jigsaw puzzle – only to find one piece missing? The frustration of not being able to complete the masterpiece intensifies. The satisfaction and joy of seeing the complete picture evaporates. We walk away disappointed and annoyed. Similarly, […]
People, Process, & Potential
I get tired of hearing people refer to people practices as “the soft stuff.” Accessing the full potential of your team? That is the hardest thing you will do as a leader. I love to watch sailboat races. It is thrilling to see the boat tilt to the wind, lean on its side, and gain […]
Process Trumps Chaos
At Popeyes, our third principle is: “We are fact-based and planful.” I know that sounds really boring as a principle, but we have to talk about it because it has revolutionized the way we work and helped us reach our performance goals. In the fall of 2007, the work environment at Popeyes was chaotic – […]
Two Ears, One Mouth
Somewhere along the way to adulthood, we tend to stop listening and learning from others. In fact, it’s worse than that. We start telling everybody what to do – and call it leadership. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Why is this the case? The first thing that works against listening and learning […]
I See Your Passion
Yesterday morning I visited a summer day camp for children in Traverse City, Michigan. As the children arrived, they were greeted by a welcomomg tunnel of jumping, singing, high-fiving camp counselors. The kids’ faces lit up with excitement as these counselors enthusiastically celebrated their arrival. This was Day 4 of camp – and these kids […]
Principles – Alive & Well?
Think about a time when one of your close friends disappointed you. They let you down. They acted in a way that was inconsistent with your expectations. Perhaps the behavior was so unexpected, you were surprised and taken aback. You couldn’t comprehend why they would act that way. They lied, when you thought they […]
Pursuing Personal Purpose
Lately it seems that everyone on the planet is in search of their personal purpose. It’s “trending.” Simon Sinek says Start with Why Jon Gordon offers The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Your Life and Work There is The Purpose of Your Life: Finding Your Place in the World by Carol Adrienne Oprah recommends […]