Leadership

Teams are more than just a collection of individuals doing individual things. But even they are working together, growing teams require growing individuals. In other words, a healthy team is not built with unhealthy individuals. Which brings us to the next commitment that healthy teams make: We are committed to being teachable and to take personal responsibility for our own leadership growth. No healthy leader ever stops learning, adjusting, and growing. Unhealthy leaders reach a base of knowledge and refuse to entertain new ideas or dissenting opinions. Those leaders are dangerous. They might be stuck in the past or blind to new opportunities. But even more dangerous than that, they won't attract (or keep) the people they need to be successful. When a teammate refuses to grow, they are putting the team at risk. If all they have to do is shovel dirt from one hole to another, maybe not.…

It sounds silly, but a healthy team is more than one person acting alone. That is called an individual action, not a team effort. As we are exploring what makes for a healthy team, I believe one of the most important commitments we can make is this: We are committed to helping each other succeed, because our individual effectiveness is directly related to our overall effectiveness. Teams are comprised of individuals with a variety of skills, abilities, and backgrounds. But this alone does not guarantee a high-performing, healthy team. That requires individuals to function like ... are you ready ... a team! Think about professional sports. Imagine an athlete that is only concerned about individual achievements or records. Every move is based on what will allow them to accomplish more. They decide not to do things that are outside their self-interest. If the athlete is a golfer, bowler, or singles…

Why do teams stacked with superstars fail to win championships? Whether it's business or sports, high-performing teams rely on more than just natural talent alone. Having been in various positions of senior leadership for nearly 30 years, I have noticed that the healthiest teams share certain commitments. It is the strength and keeping of these commitments that often make the difference. Here are the five commitments I believe are crucial to building an effective team: We are committed to building trust into our interpersonal and team relationships. We are committed to helping each other succeed, because our individual effectiveness is directly related to our overall effectiveness. We are committed to being teachable and to take personal responsibility for our own leadership growth. We are committed to the principles of self-care. We are committed to living on the solution side of every issue. We are committed to building trust into our…

I love living in the 21st Century. Because of the internet, we have access to more information -- and coffee beans -- than ever before! With a few clicks or a voice command, I can search the haystack and find the needle. As access to information has increased, so has the amount of information itself. Granted, not all information is equal and you'll wade through a lot of discarded junk to find the right needle. Even still, what a tremendous blessing to have so much information at our fingertips. While we have blogs, news sites, tweets, updates, and Instagram stories, I remain a big fan of plain, old-fashioned books. Whether they are on a screen or paper (though you should look into the benefits of reading paper books - just Google it!), books are the best way to grapple with tough issues, develop deep thinking skills, and become better equipped…

When your day is long And the night The night is yours alone When you're sure you've had enough Of this life Well hang on Don't let yourself go 'Cause everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes -- REM, "Everybody Hurts" It's true, everybody hurts at some point in life. Live long enough and you will experience your share of minor scrapes, twisted ankles, broken relationships, panic attacks, and unfulfilled dreams. As we start 2020 and close out not only a year but also a decade, I've been drawn to a rather strange story in the Hebrew scriptures. It involves two brothers (Jacob and Esau) who are grandsons of the great Jewish patriarch, Abraham. These two brothers have quite a history. In Jewish culture, the firstborn son inherits the leadership and influence of his father, as well as an increase in inheritance. This is called the birthright. Esau is the oldest…