Our daily Field Notes email is just the kind of jumpstart you need. A fast read. Maybe less than a minute. Because sometimes it just takes one insight to change the trajectory of the day.
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Old Structures Can Suffocate Execution
Sometimes a team fails to stay on topic. An organization might need more consistency in approaching a problem. Maybe the issue is a simple lack of discipline to follow through on an issue. In such cases, we see leaders create structure to address the need. Structures come in many forms. They can include rules, outlines,…
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Stay in the Question
Curiosity is the key to learning, which is probably why so many successful leaders believe it to be the X factor between exceptional and average leadership. Leaders from Walt Disney, to Michael Dell, to Kat Cole name curiosity as the most important leadership quality for creating personal and professional success. Jack Dorsey found it baffling when an…
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Defeat Worry in the Everyday
Leaders have a lot to worry about. Rising costs, team member and customer concerns, market shifts, and changes with suppliers or partners. All produce anxiety. The worry, at times, can even become debilitating. Learning how to stop worrying and start leading in those moments depends on the view we take with time. Worry always resides…
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The Situation Never Speaks
A well-known surgeon was asked about his reputation for harsh and critical words for the teams that assisted his work in the operating room. These eruptions often occurred at critical moments when his instructions and actions depended on everyone executing flawlessly. The surgeon replied, “Everyone knows that’s not me speaking. That’s the situation speaking.” Leaders…
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Suffer the Rejection Personally
Had the original Apple iPhone shipped to customers with a plastic screen rather than the Gorilla Glass made by Corning, perhaps the world would be less enthralled with smartphones. The story of how this glass came to be used on iPhones offers an important — but less obvious — leadership lesson. Prior to launching the iPhone, Steve Jobs called…
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Track Your Incremental Progress
When attempting to make personal change, it is essential to be patient with yourself. This is not to say it is unimportant to hold yourself accountable for the commitments you’ve made. But the lag time between introducing a new practice and the outcomes we desire is not measured in days or weeks. Change, especially lasting…
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Turn Values Into Everyday Companions
Instinctively, leaders know what they stand for in life. Even without recognizing they are doing so, leaders base decisions on their values all of the time. But there is a marked difference between knowing your values and becoming a value-driven leader. In our experience, all the best leaders are value-driven in everything they do. Value-driven leaders…
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Resolve to Read Complex Stories More Often
Making a resolution to read more and scan less will pay dividends throughout the year. Even reading fiction increases a leader’s empathy, as they get to imagine how other people and characters see and experience things. So, read deeply and read a lot. In the words of author Fran Lebowitz, it is a good policy…
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Job One: Restraining Self-Interest
Too often, the positions others take on depend on how they will benefit from the outcome. Self-interest is normal but taken too far, it can get in the way of sound decision-making and can undermine trust. Self-interest crosses the line when our advocacy for what benefits us comes before what is best for the team…
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‘Talent Instantly Recognizes Genius’
When an average thinker suggests that you’re exceedingly bright, you view the comment as a compliment and take it in stride. But when someone you believe is exceptionally smart suggests you are highly intelligent, the comment lingers and bolsters your self-esteem for hours, even days. Similarly, when someone creative tells you how innovative you are,…