Albert Einstein is attributed as saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  If this is true, then how can we tell when someone’s sanity is in question or when they are simply deeply committed to the task before them?  More specifically, when is it a sound business decision that just needs time and attention; and when is it a bad decision and the time has come to not let our pride get in the way, cut our losses, …

“The goal is not just to hire people who need a job.  It’s to hire people who believe in what you believe…If you hire people just because they can do a job, they will work for your money.  But if you hire people who believe what you believe they will work for you with blood, and sweat, and tears.”  Simon Sinek, How Leaders Inspire Action.

I have mentioned to a number of you previously that when I began Concord Professional Development I wanted to come up with a tag …

Perhaps it’s just that my memory is failing, but I am fairly positive that I never called my father “dude”.  And I think it would be safe to say that even addressing my parents by their first names was pushing the limits.  But today, my kids have no problem using my first name and yes, from time to time, they will even call me ‘dude’.

This kind of casual interaction is just one of the many generational differences we see today that has overflowed into the workplace.  In any conversation …

Last month I suggested that constructive conflict is about ideas and issues, not persons and personalities.  While I believe this to be true, in a significant respect conflict is always personal.  We cannot help but bring who we are into any discussion that we have.  And the more invested in the topic we are, the more important it is to understand this point.

Most of us would like to think that any time a discussion occurs that we simply hear the information, objectively evaluate it, offer our opinion, and then …

There are those individuals who seem to thrive on conflict.  They seek it out or create it; it follows them like a wake behind a boat.  At the other end of the spectrum are those who avoid conflict at all costs.  They cringe at the first hint of disagreement.

Because these two extremes often catch most of our attention it can foster the notion that conflict is inherently negative or destructive.  I would like to suggest however that not only is there such a thing as constructive conflict; I believe …

Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner are quoted as saying, “Trust is the most significant predictor of individuals’ satisfaction within their organizations.”  So it would seem appropriate to ask, do you trust the organization you work for?  Or put in a somewhat larger context; is your organization a trustworthy one?  These can be intimidating questions, but if Kouzes and Posner are correct, they are important ones to ask.

Last month I used two examples from Stephen Covey’s book, The Speed of Trust, to illustrate the necessity of trust in building …

In his book, The Speed of Trust, Stephen Covey Jr. tells the story of Jim, a street vendor, who sold coffee and donuts in New York.

“During the breakfast and lunch hours, Jim always had long lines of customers waiting.  He noticed that the wait time discouraged many customers who left and went elsewhere.  He also noticed that, as a one-man show, the biggest bottleneck preventing him from selling more donuts and coffee was the disproportionate amount of time it took to make change for his customers.   Finally, Jim …

A little while ago my son Sam was asking me if there were some odd jobs he could do to earn a little extra money.  I told him that this summer I was planning on painting our fence and if he helped me I would be willing to pay him for his efforts.  Without missing a beat he looked at me and said, “Dad, are you using paint that is good for the environment?”

I must admit, I was a little taken aback. I wasn’t sure how to respond because …

Last month I commented on Seth Godin’s book, Tribes.  I focused on the idea that leaders, as well as great organizations, do not just react to what is immediately going on around them, they initiate or create the environment they want to be in.  I had this idea re-enforced and further clarified for me at my son’s 11^th birthday party.

For Sam’s birthday I took him and 5 of his friends paint balling.  It was Sam’s first time and it was great fun.  We talked about it for …

Reflexes really are amazing things.  From the first time we go to the doctor for a general physical and they ‘tap’ our knee with that little rubber hammer and our leg instinctively kicks, we realize that good health is marked by the ability to react or respond to things going on around us.  And I have always been impressed by quick reaction times.  Someone who reaches out and catches a falling item before it hits the counter or floor, the driver who avoids an accident by quickly responding to a …