Like many young Ph.D. students, I was deeply impressed with my own intelligence, wisdom, and profound insights into the human condition. I consistently amazed myself with my ability to judge others and see what they were doing wrong. I thought I was more than good enough, and everyone else was not quite up to par.Dr. Fred Case was both my UCLA dissertation advisor and boss. My dissertation was connected with a consulting pr...
First, it’s tough out there and it is probably only going to get tougher. Job security is a thing of the past. The days of the “company man (or woman)” are gone. Like it or not, even if you start out in a large corporation, you need to think like an entrepreneur.Why I realize we cannot all be entrepreneurial in the sense that we can’t all start our own companies, I believe we can all be entrepreneurial in terms of how we ap...
This is an incredibly important question to answer, and it holds significant and long-term ramifications for those who are just starting out in their careers.Being triggered toward success means that instead of blocking you from your goals, you are propelled toward them. It may sound impossible, but it’s not. First, let’s clarify the term trigger so you know what to look for.A behavioral trigger is any stimulus that impacts...
To make resolutions that matter, don’t look forward. Look back.By February, half of all New Year’s resolutions are broken, a thing of the past, a distant, abandoned memory. You know this. So, why not take the time now to visit your goals and think about what you really want to change. If you do, you will make 2016 your best year ever.Wondering how to start? Try this exercise. It one of my favorites and I teach it in most of...
Randy was a wonderful coaching client, the CEO of a large service firm and an incredibly cheerful guy. Having dinner with him was usually great fun, but it wasn’t on this particular night.Randy approached the table and greeted me with a weary smile. He looked exhausted.I asked, “How was your day?”He replied, “Which part? I was six different people today.”He went on to explain:“The morning got off to a good start. I am the m...
For many leaders, especially those just starting out, exhibiting confidence and strength in their role as leader is something that they often tell me they would like to develop. They know, and rightly so, that self-confidence and self-esteem are important qualities of great leaders.Following are seven simple suggestions that I give leaders and potential leaders who want to be collaborative and authentic and at the same time...
Because we’re deluded!We all delude ourselves about our achievements, our status, and our contributions. WeOverestimate our contribution to a project;Have an elevated opinion of our professional skills and standing among our peers;Exaggerate our project’s impact on profitability by discounting real and hidden costs.Many of our delusions come from our association with success, not failure. We get positive reinforcement from...
The typical advertisement or “infomercial” – designed to help people “get in shape” – provides a great example of what not to do in goal-setting. The message is almost always the same, “For an ‘incredibly small’ amount of money – you can buy a ‘revolutionary’ product – that is ‘unbelievably easy’ and ‘fun to use’. This product will produce ‘amazing results’ ‘in almost no time’ and you will ‘have the body that you always wan...
As a 10-year board member of the Peter Drucker Foundation, I had many opportunities to listen to Peter Drucker, the world’s authority on management. During this time, Peter taught me some very important lessons about life and leadership.One of the greatest lessons he taught me is this: “We spend a lot of time helping leaders learn what to do. We do not spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half of the leaders I h...
Everyone needs a coach. But, not everyone wants a coach or wants others to know that they need a coach. Some areas welcome coaching. Sports for instance. In sports, we welcome coaching because we need an expert eye correcting our technique, exhorting us to try harder, and reminding us to maintain our poise in the game-day environment of competition.It’s the same in corporate life, where the best leaders function like our fa...