The Balancing Act

It’s not about the number of hours you work, it’s about 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, find time to exercise to stay in shape, pursue hobbies, enjoy vacations, support their communities, and at the same time, grow their business.

Honor those who serve and commit to a cause greater than self

In our view, every day should be Veterans Day — not just November 11th. Just like Level Five leadership, commitment to honoring Veterans should not be a one day event; rather, it should be an enduring, every day effort to make a difference by recognizing those who serve. We are privileged to be in the company of Veterans, to walk the streets, vote at the polls, worship as we please, and pursue the “American Dream.”

Defining a Great Culture

What really motivates your teammates? The answer is complex, but the Level Five leader would say that an organization’s culture must include dignity and respect at or close to the top of the list. Read on to understand what this means and how you might recognize it in your organization.

At Your Service

Throughout the course of a recently completed 18 day trip to India, Vietnam, and China, I (Robert) had a unique opportunity to visit/meet with a dozen different companies and their leaders, and also observe their cultures…what struck me above all else was their concept of customer service. To be sure, they had distinct differences in their … Read more

Have you created a “bias for action”?

How does your organization communicate your direction, your azimuth? How do you set your teammates up for success?  How do you set the conditions to encourage initiative?  How do your team members respond to the question, “In my company, is it better to ask forgiveness or permission”? Do you create a “bias for action” in … Read more

Are Your Ends, Ways, and Means in Balance? Planning and Strategy

Planning and strategy is always vital. As the old saying goes, ‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.’  You and your team don’t want to find yourselves on the ‘bus to Abilene’, as introduced by Jerry Harvey in his 1988 article, The Abilene Paradox: The Management of Agreement.  … Read more