Blog
Take a look at recent insights in leadership, strategy and more.
Time to forgive yourself
Forgiving others’ perceived wrongs is such a freeing thing to do, both for them and for us. History shows that those that get the best results over time act as if other people are doing their best, even if they don’t seem to be doing as well as they could. There is a...
Not where you’d like to be?
We’re pretty used to being clear about what we want, what our vision is—clear enough that if it showed up, we’d recognize it. But what if we can’t get to that straightaway? That’s where “creative tension” comes in. Creative tension is what Peter Senge (author of "The...
Knowing skills or living them?
They know the skills we talked about—the ones we practised at the workshop. They reassured themselves about that. They’re quite safe. No cause for concern. No need to change. No need to leave their comfort zone. All is well. Or is it? There’s a difference between...
How do you react to others’ successes?
You celebrate them, of course. If you're anything like me though, that's sometimes after a twinge of envy—a brief moment of wishing for a similar success. That’s not the way of personal mastery, of course. There, others’ success is an enabler, a contribution to the...
Who’s more conflicted—us or them?
One day he says one thing; the next another. He just doesn’t seem to “know his own mind.” If only he would stick to what he said. Frustrating, but are we really any different? It’s a curious thing... We’re well aware of our own uncertainty about our choices. We know...
Does personal mastery mean perfect mastery?
In a word, “no,” not in my map, anyway. It’s tempting to think personal mastery means complete command of a subject or indeed oneself. But that’s an ideal rather than a reality, even for the most accomplished. Rather, mastery means an acceptance of responsibility to...
Does personal mastery make a leader inspirational?
I lately set up a new discussion group on LinkedIn called "Personal Mastery for the Inspirational Leader." You can join the group here. Well, that's not the while truth. The group began as "Personal Mastery for the Resourceful Leader" then I thought... Should the word...
Does “mastery” mean knowing everything or nothing?
At first sight, mastery seems to imply knowing all there is to know about a subject. Is that ever possible though? Is any subject bounded? Or does every topic just grow and grow as we get to know it? Often it’s resourceful to assume we know nothing in a situation, to...
Is “tribal” behavior at work in your world?
We all belong to clusters of people with something in common: values, beliefs, aims, norms of behavior, and more. We could call these clusters “tribes,” and in fact, we belong to lots of them—families, friendship groups, workplaces, supporters of teams, members of...
Can they see where the leverage is?
He’s looking in the wrong place... The young man before us insists a particular role will help his career. He’s frustrated that employers don’t see it that way. He goes over his qualifications and experience again. The thing is... What’s holding him back is something...
Whose talk are you walking?
We’re familiar with the phrase “walking the talk”—acting in accordance with what we say, being genuine and congruent—which is a vital part of relating effectively to other people. Sometimes we might be accused of not walking the talk. I certainly have been. Our first...
Which do you notice first, what’s right or what’s wrong?
Vic Conant, owner of Nightingale Conant Corporation, producer of audio learning programs and more, rarely goes in front of the microphone. One time he did, one of the most striking things he said was how some people would dismiss the learning from a wise source...
If you want change, try fairness
Joe is angry. He wants change. He cites all the things he doesn’t like about what the other guy is doing... and what he doesn’t like about the other guy, period. He wants upheaval. It’s a sustained attack. It seems overwhelming. Surely one of his points will hit home,...
Why the ancients had it all figured
You notice it immediately. The meeting’s hardly started before you realise it’s all going to be facts and figures; all logical and analytical—nothing from the heart at all. I can spot this behavior well because it used to be mine. It took me years since it was first...
Why some arguments are pointless, and how to improve your world in 2012
Happy New Year! May it be a good one for you and confound all gloomy predictions. Often in an extreme can be found its opposite. As atomic physicist, Niels Bohr said, “The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may...