I recently had the opportunity to attend a week-long conference with Jack Canfield, the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. The event was focused on helping people break through to higher levels of success. The first principle of success Jack introduced was “Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life.” Most of us have been conditioned to…
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers” ~Harry Truman When was the last time you saw a positive and uplifting story on the news or the Internet? Our news media is saturated with negative stories and messages. While it’s good to be informed about current events, as leaders it serves us to feed our minds with positive information and stories so we can inspire and empower our teams. Not only is reading…
My first job after college was as a help desk service representative in an insurance company. I knew it wasn’t a position I wanted to be in long-term, but it was a way to get my foot in the door. After working in that position for a few months, I realized that I wanted to work towards a leadership role. It seemed so glamorous–having the authority to make decisions, being in charge of a department,…
We’ve all heard the statistic that only 8% of people achieve their New Year resolutions or goals each year. So how do you ensure you are one of those successful leaders who ends the year accomplished and fulfilled? In this video, I share the one thing that can help you achieve your goals this year–without massive effort. Once you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to know… What is one small action you can…
Earlier this year, I was working with an executive who had all the characteristics of a great leader; high emotional intelligence, an engaged team, an approachable leadership style, and great results. There was one thing missing: he didn’t have a successor. Although his team members met or exceeded expectations in their current roles, not one of them was prepared to move into a senior leadership role. This was a concern for the organization, as the…
I worked for a credit union years ago, and when I was first promoted to HR director, I remember my boss telling me that my promotion came with a lot of changes. I would no longer be assessed just on my technical expertise. My success would be evaluated on my leadership abilities and how my team performed. This was a challenge for me, as I enjoyed being a problem solver and technical expert. When an…
It’s the start of a fresh, new year. The opportunity to break out of old patterns and instill new habits. For years I wrote “New Year Resolutions” and got ready to change my life when the clock struck midnight. Whether it was eating healthier, exercising more, or being a better leader, my approach was that when the calendar turned to January, I hit the reset button and dove into my new and improved self. And…
I found myself getting anxious a couple of weeks ago as I realized that the end of the year is approaching. Before the start of each year, I set goals for my personal and professional life. The anxiety began to build as I realized there were a few goals I haven’t made any progress toward. For example, one of my business goals this year was to start a video blog. I started to feel bad…
One of the biggest challenges leaders express to me is getting people to be accountable for results and take ownership and responsibility in their jobs. When people aren’t accountable, the challenge often grows into a cultural issue with a lack of accountability across the organization. Leaders often ask me, “How can I better hold my people accountable?” First, I believe we can’t “hold” people accountable. Accountability is about taking ownership; it’s taking responsibility for one’s…
Several months ago I was facilitating a workshop on communication, and the topic of venting came up. One manager shared that she consistently vents to her boss about challenges in her position, like interpersonal issues with employees or coworkers. She felt since she has a good relationship with her vice president, that it seemed natural to vent to her when she was having challenges. “I need someone to vent my frustrations to so I can…
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