I read a book a very long time ago that I was looking through again the other day. The book's name is The Nordstrom Way - The Inside Story of America's #1 Customer Service Company, written by Robert Spector and Patrick D. McCarthy. A couple of paragraphs from the first chapter caught my eye and reminded me why I got so much out of this book so long ago. Read on ... Donald E. Peterson, the retired chairman of the … [Read more...]
Some Thoughts On Vision
In Leadership Having "Vision" Is Not The Challenge ... It's Leadership Of One's Self That Is Most Critical
I've said it many times. "Good leaders are very hard to find." What do I mean? People in leadership roles who actually get and practice leadership fundamentals, enabling the organization to accomplish its mission and realize the vision are few and far between. Why? I don't profess to know exactly, but I think it's mostly because it's hard. Good leadership usually requires "change" and we all know how difficult it … [Read more...]
“Culture” Is Everything
An Organization's Success Or Failure Is Almost Entirely Dependent Upon The Culture That's Created By Its Leaders
The success or failure of an enterprise is almost entirely dictated by how well the senior leadership of the organization creates a healthy culture. That’s a bold statement, I know, but it's painfully true. Read on … A while back I wrote a series of posts on the topic of Leadership Fundamentals. I took much of what I’ve come to know about leadership and put it into a series of posts. They are ... Don't … [Read more...]
Consistency
The 8th Leadership Fundamental
I believe a good leader absolutely must be a consistent leader! Following through and doing what you say you are going to do is imperative. Why? What does it mean to be consistent as a leader? Does it mean inflexible or “not creative?” Does it mean that you are “set in your ways?” How can a leader do the things leaders are supposed to do –like “stir the pot” when things are too settled– and be consistent at the … [Read more...]