Driven Forward / Blog  / Leadership (Page 4)
Fire Bad Customers
October 29, 2017
In Leadership
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Giving Bad News

On Leaders Giving Bad News Courage is a prerequisite for leadership and how leaders give bad news speaks volumes regarding their courage. Most of us don't like delivering bad news. Many fear giving bad news. Yet courage is not defined by the absence of fear. Courage is taking action in the face of and despite fear. A recently completed study by BYU linguistics professor Alan Manning and the University of South Alabama's Nicole Amare, indicates that people want their leaders to be direct when giving bad news. No hemming and hawing allowed. The study finds that beating around the bush with chatter like, "This is very difficult for me and I'm sure you know that we haven't been happy with your performance so we are going to have to let you go," are sub-optimal. As is the very direct Trumpian, "Your Fired!" The research found that people prefer a tiny buffer like, "We have to talk. I'm sorry, but we have to let you go." Short and sweet, proceeded with a quick buffer is the way to go. Folks, criticism without compassion is brutality.  I know what you're saying right now, "Wait! What? Did Mr. Cranky just say criticism without compassion is cruelty?"  Yes, he did and if you could just...

Milan Trolley Problem
October 25, 2017
In Leadership
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The Trolley Problem

The Trolley Problem is an exercise in ethics, evolution, and neuroscience. In this presentation, I explain the trolley problem. You can find the script below.   For email subscribers, the video can be found by linking here. The Script: Let's talk about rationality. If I offered you folks a $5.00 bill in return for a $1 bill, would any of you make that trade with me? Would you give me $1 for five? <Everyone in audience nods heads> Okay, good! That's math, it's good, it's a good utilitarian trade so we got that one knocked-off. Let's make that trade a little more difficult. Now, this is called the trolley problem. There's a trolley going down a track and if it continues uninterrupted there are five people tied to the track who will die if the trolley proceeds. Yet, there's a hero, a possible hero who can save those people. It's one of you. You are sitting at a switch and if you push that switch you can make the trolley move to a side track. Unfortunately for another individual, somebody you don't know you, don't know any of these people, you don't know if they're good, you don't know if they're bad you don't if they’re the next savior of the world,...

October 18, 2017
In Culture, Leadership
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Getting to Why with Beth Berman

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Beth Berman, CEO/Founder, Compellications ™. She's a "why," lady. Why do I say that? In leadership, nothing is more important than being conscious of your personal and organizational intentions. Simon Sinek refers to this as your "why," and Daniel Pink calls it "higher purpose." Whatever name you put on it, declaring your "Why" is declaring your intentions. It announces to others whether you are friend or foe. A team of mere mortals aligned by intentions or what Beth Berman, calls their "why" are more likely to succeed than an all-star team of non-aligned superstars. So what's your why? What's your team's why? Don't know...

October 15, 2017
In Leadership
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Intentional Leadership – Leading Through Neuroscience

What is Intentional Leadership? It's understanding how people really make decisions and modeling the behavior that instills confidence in your followers. Intentional Leadership is developing a leadership checklist of values and being true to those values. The Intentional Leadership Video is a 40-minute video of the keynote I gave at the StarWest Leadership Summit, October 2017.  If you can't see the video, you can link to it here. Intentional Leadership - The Neuroscience of Leadership  Outline of the Presentation: Intro - What is the Difference between Management and Leadership and why is that important The Reptilian Brain - Humans Make Rational Decisions Irrational The Reptilian Brain's Influence on Choosing Leaders A Construct for Modeling Leadership Behaviors and Values Creating a Leadership Canvas/Check List Summary If you'd like to explore how you can become a better leader, schedule a complimentary, no-obligation, online coaching session by pressing that little button below. if (window.attachEvent) { window.attachEvent('onload', loadSoeJs); } else { if (window.onload){ if (typeof isSeoFunctionLoaded == 'undefined') {isSeoFunctionLoaded = false;}if(!isSeoFunctionLoaded){var curronload = window.onload; var newonload = function (evt) { curronload(evt); loadSoeJs(evt); }; window.onload = newonload; isSeoFunctionLoaded = true;}} else { window.onload = loadSoeJs; }}function loadSoeJs() { var head = document.getElementsByTagName('head').item(0); var js = document.createElement('script'); js.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); js.setAttribute('src',...

Startup Grind Business Focus
October 8, 2017
In Leadership
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Mr Cranky Talks – Business Focus

The importance of business focus On September 25th, I discussed business focus during a fireside chat with Chris Haug of Startup Grind. For those of you who don't see the video, you can link to it here....

Adverse Childhood Experience
September 4, 2017
In Culture, Leadership
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Self-Destructive Adverse Childhood Experiences

Everyday Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) All human children develop coping mechanisms to deal with uncomfortable events. We create strategies that as children help us manage stress. Many of us subconsciously utilize these coping mechanisms into adulthood where they don't serve us quite as well. For me, my mom was very controlling. Don't get me wrong, she was a great mom, yet I bristled against her control, and my strategy to rebel against her power was to act out...

August 18, 2017
In Culture, Leadership
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Courageous Women

Applause to these courageous women. In the past few days while America's President, failed in his duty as "Healer and Chief" I look to three women who provide the grace, courage and moral leadership that is lacking in the oval office. These three courageous women step-in to provide what our nation needs. Courageous Women Example #1 Susan Bro, the mother of Charlottesville victim, Heather Heyer. What grace, what courage, and strength. Just an ordinary woman...