“Leader” is Not a Title, it’s a Journey
I’ve held many positions during my career. I have performed many roles. I have achieved outcomes, fulfilled targets and delivered on key performance indicators. But never once have I had “leader” on a business card. I was considering this situation as I read Gary...
How Using Facebook Helps Leaders
Whether we like it or not – and whether we are prepared or not – our businesses are becoming more networked and connected. Our colleagues and teams are no longer co-located but spread across locations, states and even countries. Welcome to the true, global virtual workforce.
Five Leadership Tips to Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
We talk about success as if it was a one-time-only event. We celebrate the overnight success of the startup entrepreneur without seeing the years of patient effort, change, modification and even failure that has taken place. In many ways, we have patience for the headlines but not the attention for the story.
Pivot Your Leadership Aspirations
For every article that talks about breaking through the glass ceiling, there are hundreds of real world examples where it has failed to happen. For no matter how ambitious you may be, how talented or creative, sometimes you reach a plateau, and once you are living and working on that plateau, it’s time to re-evaluate.
Are You an Entrepreneurial Leader? Back Yourself and Unstealth Your Idea
Whether you work in an enterprise, small business or a startup, today many of us consider ourselves entrepreneurs. In the back of our minds we have a wealth of ideas that would improve our current business or form the basis of a whole new business.
Be Happy Now!
I’ve come to realize that I know many people who are currently going through a job change or, even more, a substantive career transition.
Take a Risk – the Leader’s Career Path Dilemma
As leaders we become used to making decisions. We study the facts, consult with our trusted advisors and stakeholders, weigh up the risks – and then make up our minds. We use this process because it provides us with the most effective outcomes.
You Can’t Lead by Consensus
I was recently speaking with a friend about some professional challenges he was facing. To the outside world everything seemed fine – he was achieving his KPIs, his team were working well and his customers were happy.
Be a Leader, Not a Boss
I have always believed in the power of business culture – to not just set the direction of your company but to accelerate results, improve decision making and drive performance. If you can get your culture right it will set the foundations for your success. So I was...
Customer Relationships from the Outside In
I can remember when customer relationship management (CRM) was the shiniest new toy in the IT bag of tricks. I was working with Tom Siebel and some of the smartest executives in the industry and we felt like we were ahead of the curve. Back then, contact management...
Be Careful What You Tweet For
One of the most powerful benefits of social media is that – as a form of media – it brings us closer to our readers. It brings us closer to our customers. In fact, it seems to strip away layers and layers of process, red tape and hierarchy at the click of a mouse. On...
Going Gaga–Leadership and Reinvention
One of the most enjoyable series of blog posts I have written was looking at the leadership styles of celebrities. I started with Britney Spears and Madonna, moved on to Angelina Jolie and eventually ended up with Conan and Leno – and in each of these celebrities I...
The Eyes, the Voice and the Shoes of the Customer
Let me start by asking a question – how early did you check your email inbox this morning? And how did you do it? Did you login to your computer from your desktop in the office? Did you use your laptop while eating breakfast? Or did you turn off the morning alarm,...
Using the Force to Manage Employees
I am more of a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan, but this infographic from Mindflash caught my attention. Based on the Star Wars series – the Jedi Trainer’s Guide to Employee Management outlines some of the trials that we all face. And while this is a little...
The Kibbutz Model of Social Media
I have been thinking, for some time, about the different aspects of social media and how they can apply to the day-to-day challenges of leadership and the opportunities of business. In particular, I want to understand where social media can impact customer oriented...
Customers: Leaders and Followers
Often when we discuss the idea of leadership, we apply it to our own organizations. We think about the various echelons of leaders – from the first line managers through the senior ranks to the role of the chief executive. But it is also important for us –as leaders...
Leaders – Only Do What You Can Do
Many of us are challenged by our inboxes, by our list of priorities and the demands that are placed upon us by our colleagues, teams and business stakeholders. Leaders are no different. Except in the way that we respond. You see, leaders only do what leaders can do....
Start with Your Own Why
In this great TEDx talk, Simon Sinek explains exactly why some businesses – like Apple – inspire fans rather than “have” customers. It’s partly a function of biology. Sinek explains that the biological functioning of our brains is comprised of the limbic system – the...
Customer Feedback Fuels Actionable Results
A couple of weeks back I sat in the Hoffman Hot Seat – Tom Hoffman’s regular interview series. It gave me a chance to talk about the SAP Premier Customer Network and the approach we are taking to customer oriented thinking. Please take a few moments to listen. As I...
Seeing is Believing
It’s one thing to know a fact – but often times quite another to understand it. Sometimes it takes a while to sink in. Sometimes we just choose to ignore the situation in light of the facts. We can – in effect – choose to listen to another story. A story that we would...