Tag: vision

Leaders Focus On Culture

Of the things a leader can spend time doing, maintaining, growing and reinforcing corporate culture should be on the short list of critical success factors.

Can you imagine trying to be world-class with an average corporate culture?

Can you imagine a team of highly energized, focused, and driven professionals in an average corporate culture?

What would happen if a great organization took it’s corporate culture for granted?

What would happen to a good (not great) organization that elevated it’s corporate culture?

The other day, I went outside my Hotel for a breath of fresh air. During a ten minute break to take a walk, I shot a half dozen “one-take-You Tube videos”.

Most of them were about culture.  You can observe a lot by watching:

Maybe you are all set with your corporate culture. Maybe you have a great personal culture for you and your family. You do focus these business applications to your personal life, right?

The View Never Changes If

If you’re not the lead reindeer, the view never changes. Being emplyed is like that too.  And it reminds me that as a leader, it’s incumbent on me to see the future and describe to others what it looks like.

Someone has to set the vision.  If it ain’t the leader, what have you got?  Seriously.  If the leader doesn’t do it, you’re in serious trouble.

Imagine these guys without a lead reindeer:

PS. Okay, so they’re not exactly reindeer, but you get the point. Make your day great. You know where you’re headed, right?

What Will GREAT Look Like?

What will GREAT look like for you in 2010?

I can’t imagine being a professional and not being a LinkedIn member. But it’s not unreasonable at this point for many to still not be involved.

My wife is not on LinkedIn, however, I do believe it would benefit her to get started.

Anyway, through LinkedIn, which I read daily, I followed a link  – “What Will Great Look Like For You In 2010?” A quote from that link sparked today’s blog post.

So there are two messages today:

  1. Social media, like anything else, works best when used frequently
  2. All five of my blogs are free

A reader commented a few months ago, “You never ask for anything.”

It was, and still is, a question that leaves a funny feeling in my gut.

Why would anyone invest in five daily blogs, reveal secrets, success tips, insightful thinking, be vulnerable and transparent, and never ask for a nickel in return?

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman

Leader Top Priorities?

Leadership priorities.  Probably the single most important “to do” on a great leader’s list.  Right?

At the top for me is a compelling vision.  Then acting with integrity. And thirdly, building trust.

But these aren’t the priorities I’m talking about.

I’m referring to personal, moral priorities.

A few months ago, I had the privilege to hear a Fortune 100 President give a speech. To my surprise he listed his as:

  1. Faith
  2. Family
  3. Career

Didn’t see that one coming.  Career was third.  As a Fortune 100 President. Wow.

Live authentically, serve humbly, live to make other’s dreams come true.