Abdicator: A Brief Guide to Bad Leadership

What is an Abdicator?

Have you ever thought about the kind of leader you DON’T want to be? (Hint: You don’t want to be an abdicator)

Humility or Pseudo-Humility?

My wife and I were exchanging words of appreciation for each other on our 18th anniversary a few weeks ago. I was honored and blown away when she said that the thing she appreciated most about me was my humility. Walking in integrity, humility, and generosity are key character…

From the Toolkit: Five Circles of Influence

Leadership doesn’t just happen at work. It happens in all circles of influence: self, family, team, organization and your community.

10 Vital Leadership Lessons From the Farm

Fall is a-comin’ and tis the season of abundance as seen across the Heartland of our nation’s agricultural producers. Like many, I am quite fond of the local flare of our community based Farmer’s Markets. I love the festive feel and the opportunity to…

The 7 Abilities of High Functioning Executives

Without exclusion, attaining leadership success in the swift flowing conditions of organizational life is growing increasingly more complex. Those who are able to successfully navigate the churning whitewater of institutional progress are equipped…

Self-Preservation is Your Enemy

This sounds a bit preposterous when you think about it. I mean what is wrong with protecting yourself?

Please hear me on this — you do nothing for yourself when you work hard to protect yourself. When you work hard to protect your job, your…

The Ultimate Goal of a Leader

What should a leader’s biggest goal be?

I like that question.

Some might answer “Results,” “Company Value” or “Team Loyalty.”

6 Key Leadership Principles: Healthy Cultures and Conflict

Day One

You have finally arrived! After years of college preparatory planning, you are officially on campus for college orientation with great anticipation of the best year ever! Your dorm mate…

Apprenticeship Squared II

Two years after I’d apprenticed our son Matt in the art of cleaning windows and about the time he started waving nice stacks of checks in the face of his little brother, Michael, that little brother asked Matt if he could wash windows too.