When the great American poet, the late Maya Angelou, reflected on her life and learnings, she said, “I’ve learned that… No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three…
Something is healthy when it is in an optimal state of well-being. We strive for healthy relationships, a healthy diet, a healthy body, a healthy mind, healthy emotions, healthy perspectives, healthy conversation, healthy awareness, and healthy finances. With all this focus on healthy everything, we asked, “What about healthy leadership?” There are far too many…
Sticks and stones may break my bones, and words really can hurt me. Many of us grew up saying a slightly different version of the previous phrase, asserting that words could not hurt us. However, we now know that words are building blocks for our self-image and personal expectations. Our words create worlds. The English language…
Complexity creates a maze between you and success. Simplicity creates a clear line of sight. Thinking in 3's is a technique we have been using for years. It is a powerful way to simplify organizational thinking. As a byproduct, it forces prioritization and focus, and the resulting clarity trickles down the organization. For example, we routinely…
Sparky didn't have much going for him. He failed every subject in eighth grade. In high school, he flunked Latin, Algebra, English, and Physics. He made the golf team but lost the only important match of the season, and then he lost the consolation match. He was awkward socially. He never once asked a girl…
Many of today’s leadership practices are rooted in historical military testing, application, and refinement. But what can business leaders gain from current-day military leadership practices—specifically from the U.S. Navy—that have been honed for years? It turns out a lot! Thanks to his lifelong friend, retired Bob Ernst, U.S. Navy Commander, Lee had the privilege of…
After a recent visit to Washington, D.C., it struck me that all the war memorials were really memorials about courage. Taking a stand—for anything—requires courage. Courage is knowing what’s right and then acting on it. During the Nazi occupation of his country in WWII, King Christian X of Denmark noticed a Nazi flag flying over…
The Adherence equation has been field-tested for over 20 years and is featured in three of our books, including the best-seller Sticking to It. Here are a few of our quotes from those books to inspire you to stick to it. Sharpen Focus The most important decision in life is to decide what is most important. Complexity…
Here are seven things I have learned about life: 1. Life is about love . . . giving it, getting it, and living it. 2. We are all works in progress. 3. We are each beautifully and wonderfully made for a unique purpose. 4. We are hard-wired for connection, so “disconnecting” has negative emotional and…
A good plan might get you into the game, but sticking with it catapults you into the winner's circle. Based on more than 20 years of field research with the highest-achieving leaders, here are the habits they stick with: Keep it simple.Think in threes to simplify strategies, metrics, messages, and actions. Apply the 80/20 principle to focus…
