Q&A – What are some things truly awesome bosses believe?

Question: What are some things truly awesome bosses believe? They believe in hiring people who are smarter than they are, and they don’t feel threatened by that. Likewise, they believe in hiring people who are more talented than they are in their specific profession (e.g., Design managers hiring more talented designers). They believe in hiring…

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How to be a Humane Leader in 7 Surprisingly Simple Steps

A spark floating above someone's palm

Your power and influence must be carefully managed Promotion into leadership isn’t just a reward for doing great work. It’s a serious responsibility. You are now accountable for the work of your entire organization. You are now responsible for the careers of your employees and their livelihood. You may not realize it, but you are also now…

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You Can Stop Trying to Be the Ultimate Introvert

Pawn chess piece wearing crown

Introversion is easily one of the most misunderstood personality traits. People freely describe themselves, and others, as extrovert and introverts based on observable behavior that actually does not indicate where they specifically fall on the introversion-extroversion spectrum. Being shy does not necessarily mean that you are an introvert Contrary to popular belief, many introverts actually…

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Humility is overrated – Has it hurt your career?

Blow your own horn

Ah, the delicate balance of confidence and humility.   Leadership Traits You’ll often see traits listed for great leaders that include a lot of “power” behaviors. Being confident, decisive, and taking charge. But, then you’ll see humility listed as well. It varies by culture (and perhaps occupation), but we sure do send mixed messages! Seize the…

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When you lead, you set the pace

Jets in formation

Leadership One lesson that I learned in the military is that when you lead, you set the pace. But, it took some bad advice and a few hard knocks before I discovered this. When I first joined the military (many, many years ago), one recurring piece of advice was; “Never volunteer or be up front, but…

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Why Do Businesses Fail to Successfully Adapt to Change?

Interesting infographic on GigaOM on why businesses are failing to successfully deal with disruption, competition, and change. Many of the reported causal factors will be quite familiar to anyone who has worked in a larger corporation. Although this highlights some of those factors, there isn’t much offered in terms of potential solutions to overcome these issues. Some…

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