Any discussion of “culture” begins with a clear definition. I like this one. “Culture is a way of coping with the world by defining it in detail.” - Malcolm Bradbury. On a basic level, “culture” is the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, values, attitudes, and behaviors acquired and activated by a group of people. [...]
Let’s talk about “culture.” All organizations: companies, associations, non-profits, even the neighborhood lemonade stand, have one. Culture, which I define as an operating environment, core values and process initiatives, guide and fuel what is either an organization’s greatest strength or most dangerous weakness. The issue of “toxic culture” is one I’ve contended with this year [...]
Each year in November my thoughts turn to Veterans Day. It's an opportunity to express remembrance and gratitude to those veteran leaders and mentors who thought me worthy by investing some of their precious time, talent, and treasure in my life, personally and professionally. There are too many to name here, so I'll focus [...]
Yes, change is with us. It is life's only constant, and it's often challenging and mostly difficult to embrace. But there’s another, more irritating and immovable obstacle standing in the way of successful organizational development; the Change Saboteur. This person often is a "senior" leader, who seems bent on doing whatever they can to [...]
It’s been said there are “three ways to develop great leadership, but no one knows what they are.” WWII veterans Bert Stolier and Tom Blakey were the exceptions to the rule. I met them both on a bright Sunday morning at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans in 2013, and not a day [...]
One of the best things about riding motorcycles is the time you get "inside your head." I often use those moments reflecting on where I've been on my "professional ride," and remembering all the leaders and mentors who thought me worthy of investing time, talent, and treasure in my journey. That’s certainly been the case [...]
WHEN YOU'RE RIDING LEAD, DON'T SPIT! One of my favorite movies is “Remember the Titans”. It’s based on the true story of Herman Boone, an African American high school football coach in his first season at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Coach Boone arrived in 1971 just as the city consolidated [...]
In the 1946 Christmas Classic, "It's a Wonderful Life," George Bailey is a man who has given up his dreams in order to help others. When an unexpected calamity occurs, a despondent and angry George decides everyone he knows would be better off without him. Help arrives in the form of Guardian Angel 2nd Class [...]
I have been riding motorcycles for about 45 years; it is what I do for pure enjoyment. There are few things better than getting out on the open road, seeing new places and meeting interesting people. In 2013, I had the opportunity to check off the item sitting in the Number One spot on my [...]
Seems like I've been asked to discuss "TEAM" a lot this year; how to build a great team, determine why some teams fail so completely and provide some helpful insights into behaviors (good and bad) that are present in all teams. At a recent All-Team Conference, I delivered a presentation entitled, "Your Team Sucks-Now What?" [...]