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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The More We Get Rejected, The More We Succeed.
Good leaders don’t accept rejection or feel immune to its bite. Quite the contrary. They attempt to learn what they can from it and do their best to avoid letting its discomfort take too much of their energy. They know that success is a consequence of how many times they are willing to be rejected.…
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Do You Need to Change the Culture Before Changing the Strategy?
The best leaders don’t talk about the need to change the culture to set the groundwork for a new strategy. When a misalignment exists, they simply go to work. Their best bet is to go to the heart of culture. They attempt to influence the day-to-day practices that shape how team members interact with each…
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Why We Resist Demand and Commands
If a sign reads “DO NOT TOUCH,” the immediate reaction from those reading it is to reach out and do the opposite. It’s amazing how powerful the need is to resist any restriction of our personal freedoms. People have more than a distaste for being told what to do. They bristle at the thought of…
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The Fallacy of Composition and Judging True Character
Some people are gracious sometimes but not most of the time. Other people are generous on occasion but not as a rule. And some are charming when they want to be but turn off the charisma when it doesn’t serve their interests. Showcasing a skill, behavior, attitude, or persona at times doesn’t mean that’s who…
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Making Good Decisions About Strategy
When it comes to strategy, more minds are better than one. Good leaders rely heavily on the influence of colleagues, subject-matter experts, and other key stakeholders to debate the benefits and drawbacks of a new strategy under consideration. The more input, the better. This team effort helps to produce a set of strategy options for…
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Talent May Be Portable But Success Is Not
In a world of fleeting organizational loyalty and remote work, the realization of how portable talent is has become top of mind for many leaders. Highly skilled team members can bring their assets to organizations across the globe, often without relocating geographically. The acceptability of working remotely, or mostly so, has amplified the view that…
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Every Decision Has a Clock
Experienced leaders and decision-makers know that the timing of a decision can be as critical as the choice itself. All major decisions come with a hidden clock. It is up to the decision-maker to determine the ideal moment to make and execute the decision or face the unfavorable consequences associated with poor timing. Those repercussions…
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On Developing Leadership Character
Research over the last few decades has replaced the historic view of character as fixed and immutable to change with a more dynamic view of character dimensions that evolve over time. Ample evidence supports the idea that character can be strengthened, amplified, and fortified. We can develop and improve character by the everyday choices we…
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Influencing the Arc of People’s Lives Without Knowing It
The power of leadership to influence the course of others’ lives goes far beyond enhancing job satisfaction and shaping careers. Leaders, coaches, teachers, and parents say and do things that sometimes have major, long-term ramifications on the well-being of those they lead. Unnoticed at the time and typically unknown until decades later, some of the…
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The Terror of Taking Yourself Too Seriously
Working hard to achieve great outcomes is a serious business. No one achieves sustained success without a healthy dose of focus and urgency. The seriousness with which leaders apply themselves, treating even the smallest details as important, allows them to produce exceptional results. A serious and weighty approach to results is a tremendous asset when…