Are leaders born or made? This is a discussion that’s gone on for centuries. In my experience most of the people who ask it are really asking, “Can I become a leader?” In almost every case, the answer to that one is, “Yes.” I can be sure of that because we know the answer to the born or made » Read More
Category: Leadership Development
Learning from the Masters
“How did you learn to do what you do?” I’ve asked that question every time I’ve met an effective leader. You can imagine the range of answers. Some leaders give credit to courses or books or programs. But every leader I’ve ever asked has mentioned learning from experience. They learn from » Read More
Use Solitude to Make Yourself a Better Leader
One of the paradoxes of leadership is that the time you spend alone can make you a better leader. It’s there, out of public leadership’s high velocity environment, that you can become a better leader by deepening your understanding of the world and yourself. Critique your behavior and performance. Group » Read More
Mind the Leadership Gap
The Center for Creative Leadership just issued a news release with the headline: “Do Tomorrow’s Leaders Have What It Takes? Research Says No.” The release includes a link to a CCL report titled “The Leadership Gap.” The report is the usual quality CCL work. They surveyed 2200 leaders from 15 » Read More
Leadership Lessons from the US Marines
I was sixteen years old when I decided that if I went to college right after high school, I’d probably party too much and study too little. My plan was to go into the armed forces, grow up a little, and make some money for college. That’s how I found myself standing in the Marine Corps Recruiting Office. It » Read More