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How To Embrace Your Fear
The world can’t afford to have all of us falling short of our potential because we are afraid. Here are three things that I found really helpful to do when we are faced with fear.
Lights, camera, action
This is so exciting! I’m getting ready to unveil the new format for my blog posts as mentioned earlier this month. Step one has been to get the equipment in place and set up.
Why not to ask “why”
I’m a big fan of Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” TEDTalk and agree that understanding the purpose is crucial to success. Yet when we’re conversing in the course of everyday life, there are definitely situations when the word “why” at the start of a question is not your friend.
Life begins beyond your comfort zone
Over time, I’m extending my comfort zone… and discovering that there’s joy out there beyond one standard deviation! How about you? Can you do more and be more, and have more fun while you’re at it?
Showing up as yourself when it really counts
My niece called me for advice before her interview at Harvard Business School (HBS) as part of the MBA application process. I remembered the following three experiences and realized that what we were really talking about was being able to show up as yourself when it really counts (i.e., under stress).
Leadership: Making Plays vs. Running Plays
A successful basketball coach was telling me about the difference between making plays and running plays, and how the best players do both. Sports teams have set plays – we’ve all heard the term “playbook” – and they practice them. These are about scoring. For the play to work during a game…
The Problem With Trying
I grew up thinking of trying hard as being “a good thing”. Now, I realize that trying has a substantial dark side, and can be downright negative as a mindset. As a result, I am in favor of ceasing to “try” and starting to “do”. Here’s my thinking.
Make “Normal” The New Normal
Reading about Gabby Douglas’ gold medal performance in the UT San Diego paper, I was struck by the Olympic team coach’s comment that she was originally seen as a “good average gymnast” and not an obvious pick for being the gold medalist. And that what they didn’t know was how well she would “handle nerves” and…
Bloom Where You're Planted
A highly successful CEO recently shared with me his mother’s advice that has stood him in good stead from humble beginnings all the way to the executive suite: "bloom where you’re planted". This phrase has stuck in my mind because it raised a...
Leaders: False and True
A basketball coach recently described one of the girls on her team as a “False Leader”. As it was a new term to me, I asked the coach what she meant. She described how Didi (not her real name) initially came across to the coaches as the...
Entertainers in Society
My daughter’s class is learning about medieval history, and as we chatted about what life was like in those times, it struck me that the value society places on entertainers has been turned on its head. Back then, they had gladiators who were...
Playing To Your Strengths At Work
Do you get to play to your best strengths at work? For two-thirds of us, the answer is “no” (see the last few paragraphs of the Gallup webpage). But imagine what innovation and energy we could unleash if most of us could answer “yes”. Now...
Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs
Beyond the amazing innovations he has brought to our world, there are three lessons I have learned by observing Steve Jobs, the leader, from afar. And the good news is that these don’t require being an inventive genius to be useful.
Being Brave: Lessons from Basketball
I have been at the European National Championship Basketball tournament this week, rooting for the Great Britain Under 20s Women’s team which last year, for the first time in history, was promoted from the B League to the A League. By beating...
Being Outrageous: Teens Speak Out
My daughter and her 8th grade classmates had the courage to be outrageous last week by respectfully and successfully challenging their administrators on a point of principle. As is the tradition, teachers and students were asked to vote on which three classmates…
Being Outrageous
I have spent most of my life behaving myself. Doing the conventional and achieving success in a traditional way. Not that there is anything wrong with that. In fact, it has all turned out just fine. However, the question remains whether I would have achieved even more and/or…
It's About The Team
At today’s Varsity Sports Award ceremony at my daughters’ high school, I was heartened to see the next generation of leaders and reassured that, at least in a small corner of England, affirmative life lessons are being taught and learned. This is a sports program that is about more than simply winning. It is a…
Why Like-Mindedness Is Limiting For Leaders
We inherently like spending time with people who think like us, and maybe even act and look like us. It’s easy, comfortable and fun to be with people who understand where we are coming from and share our interests. As well, it builds our...