When did someone in your professional circle last ask you “How do you want to be remembered?” or perhaps “Do you love what you are doing and if not, why not?” Although the primary reason coaches are retained is to help executives get back on track if they have derailed…

As a CEO, business owner and entrepreneur, you are responsible for your organization’s overall health, and that means keeping it out of harm’s way. Risk avoidance is therefore a natural, daily function of your role. This can be a tightrope, of course. On one hand there is a need to foster…

Effective executives come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, society has an idealized vision of how an executive should act; think Steve Jobs. Even HR folks expect their new executive hires to be exceptional “people persons” who are naturally extroverted, who can and do take the time to listen empathically…

Lessons on becoming a better leader when the economy cycles downwards It’s Deja Vu all over again. We’re into another concerning phase of the economic cycle precipitated by inflation and a volatile stock market. The operative word here though is “cycle.” Unfortunately, when tough times evolve, many businesspeople forget the…

You will undoubtedly have used the term emotional intelligence. We usually use it in relation to what we expect from our employees. But what does it mean for you as a CEO or senior executive? Having emotional intelligence doesn’t mean being an emotional person. Rather it involves identifying and…

Too often, leaders find themselves rushing to address after-the-fact emergencies, rather than driving proactive performance urgency. Urgency is a positive state that enhances performance, and CEO’s need to aid its creation. Why businesses need urgency There are three primary reasons that urgency is needed in any business. 1. Competitive pressure If…

Are you running faster and faster, living your professional life from problem to problem? It’s common for business leaders to be “too busy” seemingly all the time. You manage the large, far-reaching projects with their long-term planning processes that can stretch for years, and deliver on the small scale intermediate…

As the work force moves from lifetime employment to upwardly mobile serial career, the challenges to retain your key knowledge workers grow. Knowledge workers bring real smarts, not brawn, to the workplace, and it’s clear that the 21st century American company is primarily a knowledge company. So, what’s the secret…