“There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.” – John F. Kennedy

Should A Leader Be Friends with Staff?

“People, people who need people are the luckiest people in the world” Barbara Streisand When I was being trained to be a military officer in the early 1970’s we were instructed never to be friends with the soldiers reporting to us. Fraternization and friendship were to be avoided at all costs. Both of these actions […]

Are You A Clever Leader? That’s Not A Good Thing!

When I was in the Army I learned that military life was long stretches of boredom interspersed with moments of trouble, tension and even terror. Interestingly enough, leadership follows a similar pattern. On most days leadership involves doing what is necessary to keep the ship floating and running properly. Decisions are usually straightforward and are […]

“Do It My Way Or I Am Leaving!”

All seasoned managers have faced this dilemma. An employee, (sometimes talented, sometimes not; sometimes experienced, sometimes not), threatens to leave if he or she does not get something they demand. It may be a promotion, a bonus, a pay increase or some other desired result. But the threat is always the same: these employees put […]

Are You A Compelling Communicator?

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” The Captain, Road Prison 36 from Cool Hand Luke Leadership communication is an interesting topic. We all know that the ability to communicate appropriately is an essential component for every effective leader. Ken Blanchard and Associates reports that 43% of survey respondents identified communication skills as […]