Team members in a high performing business want to be challenged, trusted, and treated with dignity and respect. It all boils down to building the right culture where folks are empowered to do what they do best without being micro-managed. Beware the urge to micromanage. There’s a significant difference between leading and micromanaging; that difference … Read more
Integrity is non-negotiable. No matter what industry you’re in, no matter what role your team members have, it’s essential that everybody is focused on doing the right thing – rather than choosing an easier or faster shortcut – especially in the absence of supervision. This same rule applies to you and other leaders of your … Read more
Initiative is all-important. A hierarchical organization with diffused accountability and a lack of initiative is little more than a house of cards. Leaders can’t be afraid to take charge. Mistakes will come with the territory. The important thing is pulling together the right people for your team and creating a “bias for action” within your … Read more
Productivity isn’t necessarily determined by the number of hours you work, but rather what you do with your time. Level Five leaders are experts at time management. That’s how they find time to support their families and friends, exercise so they can stay in shape, pursue hobbies, enjoy vacations, support their communities, and, at the … Read more
In the US Army, we learned to rely upon a simple 5-Step Risk Assessment process that effectively identified and mitigated strategic, operational, and tactical risk. The process was incorporated into any planning process, from developing a live-fire training exercise, to deploying a force to the Balkans or the Middle East, to planning an attack to defeat an enemy. In the corporate world, we employ the same process every time we conduct strategic planning, open up a new branch of the company, acquire a new business, roll out a new product, stand up a new manufacturing center, open up a new delivery route, or take on a new customer. The process covers lots of ground. How does it work?
Some managers can be great leaders, and conversely, some leaders can be great managers. Occasionally, one can excel in both roles, but this is the exception. In the US Army, managers are staff officers and leaders are commanders. What is the difference?
