In the new book The Disciplined Leader, John Manning writes about the importance of focus—and how it drives leadership success. After reading the book, I had the opportunity to ask John some follow up questions. What follows is an edited version of our conversation. Jen: In the book’s introduction, you write that leaders must learn…
Personal Effectiveness
The One Minute Manager – A New Leader’s Story
In 1984, as a college senior, I was employed by my university as an Assistant Residence Hall Director (AD). It was the first job in which I had a staff that (dotted line) reported to me. During the day, everyone answered to the full time Residence Hall Director. On the evenings and weekends, I rotated…
16 Stories to Energize Your Leadership
Feeling burned out as a leader? It’s a common feeling: work life is hectic and leaders feel especially “squeezed.” This constant pressure can suck every last bit of energy from you and the people you lead, with unfortunate results. As Chris Edmonds, author of The Culture Engine, writes in the foreword of the recently released…
Spring Cleaning for Leadership – 21 Essays on Self, Culture and Teamwork
This time of year often brings out the cleaning fanatic in us, so Karin Hurt of the Let’s Grow Leaders blog asked for blog posts about “spring cleaning” for her April Frontline Leadership Festival. The outcome is a blog carnival with 21 essays for leaders who want to learn to “clean up” in three areas:…
Women and the Politics of Promotion
Research indicates that ambitious women are in a double bind—if they’re too aggressive, then they’re seen as threatening; if they’re too accommodating, they’re not seen as senior leadership material. Even though this bind is easing as more women assume top leadership roles, it’s still evident in many organizations, particularly those that are traditionally led by…