Category Archives: Leadership/Personal Development

What leadership tips can we learn from “Avengers, Age of Ultron”?

Are you one of the millions who watched the long-awaited, fast-paced, wisecracking, action-packed adventure film, Avengers, Age of Ultron? In satisfying Marvel fashion, the movie is an entertaining blur of beloved action figures, a gripping doomsday plot, spectacular moves, and dazzling special effects. But even more than the hilarious quips between the Avengers cast, I was surprised to notice the film was packed with leadership tips – at least as many as the number of metal suits.

What leadership tips can we learn from "Avengers, Age of Ultron"?

From well-resourced Tony Stark, we see how important it is to be faithful in keeping all your bases covered and a backup ready.

Balancing Boundaries with Work and Life in Leadership

Work-life balance is an idea that’s getting a lot of attention lately. It’s supposed to be a sign of health and good judgment, a new package for the old concept of “having it all.”

Balancing Boundaries with Work and Life in Leadership

The idea of work-life balance is a great one: By being intentional and firm about boundaries, you can carve out protected time for work, family, friends, and for yourself. It is important to learn when to say, “Yes” and when to say, “No.”

Styles of Leadership – Do you Motivate or Manipulate?

Almost any team has one or two absolute go-getters. Whether it’s out of passion, commitment or habit, they’re going to show up half an hour early, probably after a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast, bringing their best ideas and plenty of energy to carry them out.

Styles of Leadership – Do you Motivate or Manipulate?

Other employees need a little push, at least from time to time, and the best leaders are prepared to provide it.

Motivational Leadership: Seize and Enjoy the Moment

Time flies! You know how everyone’s always saying, “seize the moment!”? Of course there are others who say, “the moment seizes us.”

Motivational Leadership: Seize and Enjoy the Moment

Either way, our culture has embedded in us the fear of missing out, or #FOMO as it’s trending now. It drives leaders and employees into continual striving and life with an “every-day I’m hustlin’” mentality.

Good Leaders Don’t Forget The “I” in Team

Have you seen the commercials for the latest movies out on DVD? I would highly recommend McFarland, USA. It’s a sports movie based on a true story and features a group of kids who fall outside the mainstream, a coach with issues, some long odds, and—well, not to give away the ending, but they manage to surprise a lot of people, including themselves.

Good Leaders Don't Forget The "I" in Team

In this case, the coach (played by Kevin Costner) is a fired high school football coach and PE teacher who finds a job in an impoverished area of central California, where most of his students are from families of impoverished agricultural workers.

Business Leaders Let People Go with “Professional Kindness”

“I hate firing people. My heart always wonders if I could have done more to make it work, or if I should have given them another chance. But my head knows that I cannot run a profitable business AND employ people who don’t meet the standards of the company.”

Business Leaders Let People Go with “Professional Kindness”

As harsh as that may sound, that leader is entirely correct. At some point, it becomes obvious that a team member or colleague isn’t making the cut, no matter how many opportunities they are given. And while we tend to look at firing someone in a negative light, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way for all business leaders.

March Madness, Great Coaching, and Leadership Characteristics

If you follow college basketball, there’s no better time of year than March to see leadership characteristics. There are few sporting events that bring the excitement and drama of the NCAA tourney.

March Madness, Great Coaching, and Leadership Characteristics

And if you’re someone who thinks about leadership, you may—as I often do—keep a particular eye on the coaching. It’s an area that always seems to draw legendary personalities, from Bobby Knight’s fiery temper to Pat Summitt’s icy stare, from Dean Smith’s fatherly attention to John Wooden’s philosophies.

“Are You Satisfied with Your Care?” A Leadership Lesson from Big Hero 6

Recently it was family movie night at the Kingsley house. We decided to watch Disney’s Big Hero 6, which had just won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.

“Are You Satisfied with Your Care?” A Leadership Lesson from Big Hero 6

Aside from being entertaining—which almost goes without saying for a Disney film—Big Hero 6 has some great leadership messages for children. Science is not just a positive force but a cool pursuit, and education and good thinking ultimately solve major problems. The group of brainy young heroes is racially diverse and includes girls as well as boys.

Business Leaders are you Building up or Tearing down?

If you haven’t read Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly, you may want to pick up a copy. Brown talks about the power of vulnerability within businesses, leadership, and personal relationships. She explains how sadly common it is to find business leaders who lead through shaming others (the opposite of encouraging).

Business Leaders are you Building up or Tearing down?

One example she gave was an executive who regularly rated his employees on one of two big white boards outside his office. The list separated his company’s workforce in two categories: the losers and the winners. Such outright shaming crippled the growth and success of the company and only pushed employees to leave and work for the competition.