If you’ve ever worked on something even remotely disruptive or innovative, you know about unknown unknowns. They are the unexpected things that happen that it is impossible to predict. Customer feedback that doesn’t align with your assumptions. Unexpected alternative uses of your idea for other purposes. The competition reaction to your new offering. None of […]
Leadership Is A Team Sport
When people think about leaders, they usually think about the individuals who are leading. If asked for examples of great leaders we hear suggestions like Jack Welch, Bill Gates, and Winston Churchill. While it is true that these were the “leaders”, they would never have become the famous examples they are without people to lead. […]
Leading From The Mound – Deliver Success To Your Team
Too often leaders see themselves as the feature story. The star of the show. The reason that the fans came out to see the game. But real leaders see themselves as the pitcher at the Home Run Derby, delivering the pitches that allow the real stars of the game to shine. If you think you […]
The Golden Rule of Business and Ethics (and Life)
I was speaking with my kids the other day about how easy it is to be a “good” person and I realized that one simple (and well known) rule is really the key to doing the right thing. That “right thing” applies in business, ethics, and pretty much anywhere else in your life where you […]
Listen Effectively For Constructive Criticism
One of the recurring themes that comes up when I am coaching and working with people in positions at all levels of an organization is the topic of hearing feedback. Almost everyone I’ve had the opportunity to work with has suffered from the same blind spot. Hearing constructive criticism effectively. We all like to hear […]
Be The Dumb Guy In The Room
I recently spent an evening with a group of MBA students who were practicing their networking skills. Most of them expressed interest in learning about my career journey. When I walked them through my varied history, I got follow-up questions, most of which centred around the advice I would provide as they entered the workforce. […]
Shake It Off and Step Up
I had this pop-up to me today from my list of inspirational items and thought it was worth sharing again. It is a great lesson on the power of learning to shake it off and step up. Shake It Off and Step Up One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal […]
Start With Why and Remember It
Simon Sinek started the Start With Why movement with his incredible TED Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action“. Every once in a while I see a great example of why “the why” is so critical. Today I came across one of those examples that I felt compelled to write about in an article “What Happened […]
Leadership and Life Lessons from Gord Downie
Last night Canada lost one of our favourite sons. With a letter from the Downie family, The Tragically Hip confirmed the passing of Gord Downie after a surprisingly long struggle with glioblastoma, a cancerous brain tumour. As a nation, we celebrated Gord and the band last summer with their final tour culminating in the national […]
Recommended Reading: 15 Books Recommended by Top Leaders
I’m always looking for great books to add to my reading list and I often get requests recommendations from friends and colleagues. I figured it was high time I put together a list of recommended reading from some of the top business leaders and CEOs of our time. Most CEOs and business leaders will tell […]