Category Archive: Book Notes

Seeking and Seeing Breakthrough Moments

Hate surprises? Plan on staying the same. Surprises propel into the future or drive into the past. Problem is, surprise signals uncertainty. Organizations hate uncertainty. Extraordinary leaders realize surprise is a catalyst not… Continue reading →

So You Screwed Up …

Few things change us more than mistakes. Sadly, mistakes make people feel dumb, even though they are the path to wisdom. Not making mistakes is worse than making them. Sometimes the best way to… Continue reading →

How to Get What You Want

It takes conviction, candor, and, most importantly, courage to push against the boss or the board. Managers who can’t stand up and push back are inevitably pushed around and down. Yesterday, I talked… Continue reading →

6 Ways Successful Leaders Think

Only fools plan to fail. Leaders always plan to succeed. Working on plans is working to anticipate and nullify reasons for failure. But, failure happens in spite of plans. There’s more to success than… Continue reading →

10 Reasons Leaders Fail, Plus One

“The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” William Pollard 10 reasons leaders fail: Stop learning. Don’t build the team. Can’t collaborate. Won’t adapt.… Continue reading →

How a Director at P&G Turned Failure to Success

Dissatisfaction indicates potential if you’re willing to adapt, grow, and learn. Apart from adapting, dissatisfaction is the path to paralyzing despair. Failure works when it changes us for the better. Paul Smith, author… Continue reading →