Thinking Out Loud

Sonja asked to be assigned to a project she was interested in—much of it involved ways to use her particular organizational and people skills. Steve, managing the project, was delighted to have her and briefed her on where they were in the process and what they needed her to do.

Steve’s supervisor Tara was coordinating the project on a larger scale within the organization, and within a couple of weeks, she noticed Steve’s frustration with Sonja when Steve presented a periodic update. Read More

Leaders and teams are constantly challenged by clients, customers, and themselves to think from several different angles:

• Strategic
• Creative
• Collaborative
• Innovative
• Critical
• Entrepreneurial
• Design

Go to the dictionary, Google, or the gurus who stand as prime examples illustrating the desired thinking and you’ll likely be inspired to think differently—or think you should be. But what does it all mean? Are there some common denominators? Read More

Many (most?) of the books and articles written about how to be a good leader concentrate on some aspect of vulnerability — what it is and what it isn’t. Much of it encourages us to simply be more open with those we work with, to trust and share power. Here I want to talk about our humanity, not pretending that because we have attained a leadership position we have it all figured out: that we have all the answers and all the confidence. The truth is, we do not check our humanity at the door when we assume a position of leadership.  Read More

When two leaders in an organization don’t get along, everyone knows it, even when there is no overt conflict or demonstrable rift. It’s as it is in families when parents think the kids are oblivious and, in fact, the kids are well aware if parental harmony shifts to discord.

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