Developing clarity around the specific impact we want to have on everyone we’re serving through our core values will require focus. Building strong alliances with trusted sources we can count on to provide us with candid feedback on how we are (or aren’t) living up to those values takes time and inc...
As with so many of companies “that more than 80% published an official set of corporate values on their website” having definitions posts - or even detailing a picture of what we want those values to mean - makes little impact if that’s not what we’re actually known for. Wearing a He-Man costume at ...
Early on in this process as we looked at what happens when foundational values aren’t in place (and a few times since), I referenced an article from MITSloan Management Review called “When It Comes to Culture, Does Your Company Walk the Talk?”, where the authors shared this about how frequently comp...
While the best organizations I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with or studying are indeed build on foundation of strong values, it never happens by chance. Even the best of intentions won’t come close to producing the lasting results we’re capable of achieving when we develop the discipline of ...
I’ll quote John once more just to make sure it sinks in: “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” If we’re not excited about how our core values are currently serving as the foundation of our organization, that’s on us as leaders. If we are happy with that foundation, keep up the good work - and ...
While Terry Francona was the manager of the Boston Red Sox during the late season collapse in 2011, and he contract option wasn’t renewed afterward, I’m not placing the blame exclusively on him. Quite frankly, I thought John Lackey was a goon long before that. And while Francona held the “manager” t...
Building a successful culture that perpetuates based on our foundational core values will indeed be one that produces wins for everyone involved, but winning won’t be the sole motivation for the great people we attract to our team through this process. High standards, consistently exceeding expectat...
In The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John Maxwell emphasizes that “growth compounds and accelerates IF we remain intentional about it.” Compounding interest, in growth or in our finances, can work for or against it. If you’re not completely certain this is true, have your banker run some numbers sho...
While under what was likely the most intense pressure I had ever experienced to fill open positions, I remember a conversation with one of the managers I was supporting where he told me that he needed seven people with a very specific skill set by the following week. It just so happened that I had a...
In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell explains The Law of the Mirror by simply saying “We attract who we are, not who we want.” I had never seen a more obvious example than the organization I just referenced; initially as I became familiar with the company and even more so as the su...
Make no mistake, turnover is always going to happen. Part of our responsibility as leaders is to plan for that. And in planning for each type of turnover we’re sure to experience at one point or another - be that a retirement, a termination due to unacceptable performance, or someone leaving for a c...
Earlier when we looked at how we can rally our team around our core values, I briefly mentioned a long-standing organization that once had world class talent leading each separate department but had experienced some significant turnover in critical roles. While some of this was due to planned retire...
