Posts Tagged ‘leadership training’
“You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
Last week I addressed the phrase, “It is what it is.” This week I’m tackling another meaningless, mind-numbing phrase that is used ad nauseum in our society: you don’t know what you don’t know. Well, no fooling! It does not take a well-seasoned investigator to establish that fact. There is a lot that you and…
Read More“It is What it is.”
How often have you heard that statement? How often have you said it yourself? This can be another mind-numbing, oft repeated, meaningless phrase of defeat or it could be the catalyst for action. I cannot count the number of times I have heard someone say, “It is what it is.” But their body language, voice…
Read MoreDecisions: “The Most Difficult Part of My Work…”
“The most difficult part of my work is acting without correct information on which to predicate action.”¹ These words, written by Major General George G. Meade on July 6, 1863, capture the challenge of leadership and decision-making under uncertainty. Fresh from the Battle of Gettysburg, Meade understood that leaders often make decisions with incomplete information,…
Read MoreLeaders, Leadership, and People
In my last article I wrote about people being the key ingredient to leadership. Have you ever worked for someone who does not like being around people or they only want to be around their favorites? Leadership involves people and all too often there are individuals in positions of authority that do not like being…
Read MoreWhat is the Key Ingredient to Leadership?
As I prepared to write this article, I conducted a Google search and posed the question, what is the key ingredient to leadership? Over twenty pages of results returned listing qualities such as integrity, trust, honesty, etc. True, those are important and necessary qualities, and I have written about them in the past. However, as…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 4
I have written this series based on my observations of fan behavior when the Colorado Rockies played a home game in Denver. What is the reason behind many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies? What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 3
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? Why does the crowd in the home city of Denver sound…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 2
This series is based on my observations of the fan base, or lack thereof when the Colorado Rockies play a home game in Denver. I have noticed many people rooting for the opposing team and not the Rockies. What is wrong with this picture? In his book, Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar H. Schein wrote,…
Read MoreWhen the Home Crowd Cheers for the Opposition. What Is Wrong with That Picture? Part 1
Imagine that you play for a professional baseball team and you are in your home stadium. You made it to the big leagues and are excited to play for your team in front of thousands of fans at home. As you take to the field you notice something disturbing. There are more fans wearing hats,…
Read MoreThe High Cost of Avoiding Conflict
There are too many fire department officers that unintentionally weaken their authority because they avoid conflict. Rather than confronting a crew member about mediocre performance, they push the issue up the chain of command and hope someone else handles it. While this may provide temporary relief, it creates long-term damage for both the officer and…
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