The Great Productivity Drain

There was once a female entrepreneur named Jill. With her exceptional technical savvy, she created innovative designs and started a company to commercialize products based on her designs. There was strong demand for the products and she was fortunate to surround herself with a skilled leadership team.

It looked like they were bound to succeed. In terms of technology and business know-how, they were top of the class. Unfortunately, in other areas the leadership team had not yet reached full development. A culture of complaining and vying for position began to take over the organization. Soon productivity plummeted, and they were no longer meeting the marketing potential for their products.

This is a story that is all too common, but the ending may surprise you. Knowing that her company was in jeopardy, Jill sought coaching from a mentor she respected and she worked hard at changing her own behaviour. Yes, you read correctly. Her first thought was not...

Circular Connection

Traditionally, leaders expected their followers to come to them. The reporting structure flowed in one direction and that was upwards. But as John C. Maxwell explains in his chapter on the Law of Connection in "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", good leaders know better. They reach out to connect with the people in their organization at an authentic and emotional level.

The direction of connection is not upwards or even downwards. It is circular, a matter of give and take, and the circle starts with the genuine concern of the leader. When people feel their leaders care, they give more to the organization and everyone prospers.

Brene Brown put it well when she said, "I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship."

We rely on technical skills and intellectual know-how. These things are...

A Story About Rocks

I heard a story some time ago about a man who came up to a border crossing riding a motorcycle. Balanced on the back of his bike, were two saddlebags.

He had all the documents required to cross the border. The border guards asked the obvious question, “What’s in the saddlebags?” The man replied, “Rocks.”

To check his story, the guards emptied the saddlebags. Sure enough, all they found were rocks. So, they allowed the man to enter the country.

The following week, the same man approached the border crossing, riding a motorcycle. Again, the guards checked his saddlebags and found only rocks. Again, he was allowed to cross the border.

The scene repeated itself over the next several months until the border guards couldn’t stand it any longer. “We know you're smuggling something across the border,” they said. “But every time we check your saddlebags, we find only rocks. Please tell us what you're up to. We...

We recently helped a woman discover and grow her leadership potential. By all measures, she was already quite a success. She'd obtained a masters and proven her technical skills in a highly competitive industry. With her genuinely supportive personality, people appreciated having her on their team. Anyone would have thought her pathway to reaching her potential as a leader was already set. Yet, there was an important opportunity she'd been missing.

We always like to say, you can't give what you don't know you have. That's why our first step was to explore her leadership potential. She used the online tool we provide on our website to do a Personality Assessment Profile. Armed with a deeper understanding of her leadership style, she was ready to look for new ways of reaching her leadership potential.

She began by considering her inner circle. We all have one. They are the people we trust the most, the people we look towards when we need advice, and the people who are first to give us...

James is at the dinner table with his wife, Cheryl. She can see he's distressed and asks if he's okay. The answer is larger than she expected. As far as she knew, James was happy in his job.

“Cheryl, I don’t know what’s wrong. I’ve worked long and hard for the company. I’ve been loyal and I've given my all. In the past, I was rewarded for my performance, but they’ve passed me over for a promotion again. Guess I better find another company that appreciates my experience and effort.’”

Only three years ago, James was excited about his future. He'd been promoted to a manager position at the manufacturing company where he works. They'd valued his university degree, but they'd valued his 10 years of experience even more.

James was ready for the learning curve his new role demanded. Never afraid of work, he committed countless hours to management courses and self-study. After all, he'd never held a leadership position before. He knew he had...

Several of our friends keep koi fish in their outdoor ponds. One friend has a pond surrounding his patio. Because they recognize our friend as the one who feeds them, the koi swim towards him whenever he comes onto his patio.

The fascinating thing about koi is they grow to fit the size of their environment. Keep them in a bowl and they will grow to 3 inches. Place them in a small pond and they will grow to 1.5 feet. In a large lake, they can grow up to 3 feet.

Like koi, our growth potential can be small or large. But unlike Koi, our environment is not forced upon us. We create our environment by the choices we make. When we choose familiarity over challenges, we place ourselves in a small pond.

When we embrace the unknown and open ourselves to challenges, we place ourselves in a large lake.

There was a time when I placed myself in a small pond. In an effort to remain comfortable, I limited my choices. Then I recognized what was happening and let go of that limiting reality. Today, I...

Have you ever wondered what enables a leader to emerge and meet the challenge of the hour? Or what would enable you to step forward and successfully meet the challenges in your life?

"Leaders develop daily, not in a day," says John C. Maxwell in his book "Leadership Gold: Lessons I’ve Learned from a Lifetime of Leading". John also says that the choices we make in critical moments help to not only form us, but to also inform others about who we are.

I believe that statement to be true.

Most days come and go. But a few days are unlike the others, and those are the days we remember. Many defining moments come as a surprise, often arising during times of crisis.

Why do these days stand out more than others? The reason is simple. On those particular days, we stopped, thought about our life, and took action.

Maybe we saw an alternative we didn't recognize before. Maybe we faced a difficult moment. Or maybe we accomplished something new. Whatever the reason on that particular day, we...

Ask a venture capitalist or an angel investor what they are looking for in a business investment and the answer will always be “management". Sure, investors and bankers are looking for a good business idea in a growth orientated industry producing strong cash flow. However, the bottom line is that investors are more interested in an average business idea backed up by a great management team, than a great business idea with an average management team.

But how do great management teams stay that way? It's all about people working together well, sharing a common vision, and getting things done. Try replacing "management" with a related but more focused word: "leadership, leadership, leadership". Now you have a mantra with real power.

In his book entitled The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C. Maxwell writes that “Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.” This truth applies to businesses, not-for-profits, churches, and families...

Last week I asked several young leaders a simple question: What are the two most essential values you've learned from your grandparents?  

Everyone responded quickly and most people gave more than two values. But as I listened to their answers, a theme emerged.

The values that the young people learned from their grandparents that they cherished the most were based on two things: forming strong connections and showing leadership.

One young person told me that his grandparents attended 43 of the 45 hockey games he played while growing up. By being in the audience, his grandparents connected with him in a way that goes beyond support. They participated in his life and that's what connecting is all about.People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Connecting increases your influence in every situation. This is crucial whether you're trying to lead a child or a nation. In his book, “Everyone Communicates and Few Connect”, John Maxwell...

Leadership is not just about ourselves. It's about spreading the word and bringing new leaders into the mix. But how can you spot leadership potential in others?

As John C. Maxwell says in his book titled, "What Successful People Know About Leadership", the single-most powerful way to achieve success is to find good people and help them grow.

This is true whether you're concerned with non-profit leadership or leadership in the for profit world.

Based on his forty years' of experience, John has learned to recognize leadership potential. As he reminds us in his book, people with leadership potential share seven exceptional characteristics:

1. Leaders are catalysts: They make things happen. If you notice exceptional results, look for the person behind the effort and chances are good you'll find a leader.
2. Leaders are influencers: Leadership is influence. It's not just about assigning tasks. Talented leaders inspire others by sharing their vision.
3. Leaders are relationship builders: Behind...