How to Overcome Resistance and Lead Change Like an Irish Octogenarian
If you had to choose a country that would resist gay marriage, Ireland would be a safe choice. At least in the western world. Yet somehow, in 2015 a national referendum legalizing gay marriage miraculously passed. As Seth Godin writes in This Is Marketing, it was a heartfelt video made by Brighid and Paddy White…
This Is Why Mastery Of The BIG 3 Is Essential For YOUR PEAK PERFORMANCE
Imagine that you’re doing something completely non-work related and an idea goes off in your head – an idea that can help you in your work. Has this ever happened to you? Before I tell you about my recent light bulb moment, there’s something you should know about me. Reading for pleasure could well be…
THIS IS WHY IT DOESN’T STICK!
“Change or go.” How would you react to this threat? Here are two possible reactions: “What if I fail? Will I be exposed?” “What if I don’t change? Will I be left behind?” According to former former MIT Professor Edgar Schein, the brain reacts to such messages in two ways. The first reaction is called…
HOW TO BE A VULNERABLE EXPERT
“I know exactly how to solve this problem.” “I have no clue how to solve this problem.” You know the solution to the problem, but want your report to figure it out for herself. Or, you don’t know the solution but don’t want to appear incompetent. Herein lies the paradox of the “vulnerable expert”. The…
This Is How To Manage Complex Change
Agility = the power of moving quickly and easily (dictionary.com). To adapt to new and emerging challenges, complex change demands an agile approach. Think about it – by the time you communicate your change strategy, something significant could have changed. Hence, need for agility. Relational = concerning the way in which two or more people…
If You Wanna Go Fast, You Gotta Start Slow: How to Connect from the Get-Go
The more people see you as a real person, the more likely they are to follow you. And yet, a common mistake that new managers and team leaders make is to use a classic command and control leadership style. For anyone who’s experienced this style first-hand, it can make the person less human, more machine.…
This Is Why It’s the Most Effective Intervention for Human Performance
“Coaching done well may by the most effective intervention designed for human performance.” – Atul Gawande MD Writing for The New Yorker in 2011, Dr. Gawande makes a strong case for coaching as the best way for any professional to achieve peak performance. Can you imagine an athlete winning Olympic gold without one? Why should…
How to Make Better Decisions: 3 Big Pitfalls to Avoid
How did I get this wrong? I looked over the facts and figures that were available to me. I even took the time to consult with two of my most trusted colleagues. I made an objective decision…or did I? Has this ever happened to you? Because you’re human, I’m guessing it has. Let’s rewind… After…
The HOW Is More Important Than The WHAT
Standing at the foot of Mt. Everest. No water. No oxygen. No proper equipment to speak of. Nevertheless, must get to the top. And fast. Teaching and travelling around Asia in the second half of the 1990s, this is exactly how I felt on my return to the heart of the tech boom. And a…
This Is Why Wicked Problems Require Radical Solutions
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away… Shell Oil, the Catholic Church and the Communist Party represented an organizational reality that was fairly predictable – one where executives, priests and party chiefs could set objectives and manage in a way to get them achieved. If it’s planned, it’ll happen. Or so…
This Is Why You Should Keep Wasting Your Time
Je ne parle pas anglais – the short bark I got every time I asked a train attendant for help. I’d flown into Paris a week earlier and even managed to find my way into the city center, despite a city-wide transport strike. But this was a whole new animal. One which required help. Looking to secure…
How to Make a Brain Light Up Like Las Vegas: The Ass-Kicking Power of a Good Story
Love him or hate him, US president number 44 was very different from the one that came before him. And I’m not talking about the color of his skin. Something happened at the beginning of his first term that prompted President Obama to publicly apologize. It was then that I realized this guy was not…
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