Archive for July, 2009

If You Want to Find the Secrets of a Good Leader Look at Their Friends

Monday, July 20th, 2009

It is a little known fact that really good leaders got that way because of their friends.  The best leaders and executives are people who
•     Trust and respect the advice of friends
Leadership does not happen in a vacuum.  It takes many minds, many ideas, many debates and even more so, many different pieces of advice.
I am a HUGE fan of West Wing, the television show that went off the air over 3 years ago.  However, even today what is portrayed in this series validates many things we do not know about.
For example, in the closing episodes of the last season, the incoming president selects the man who ran against him for president to be Secretary of State.  Why?  Despite their differences he respects the man’s intellect, considers him a friend and knows he will get good advice that he can trust from him.
Who are your friends?  Who do you trust?  Do you appreciate the value in this to make your decisions not just good, but great?
As a Situational Specialist, Barbara can be that trusted advisor for you and your organization. (Listen here, to what one client found in Barbara’s advice) Contact Barbara at 303-984-9271

The Situation, the Leader and 6th Grade Math

Monday, July 6th, 2009

In reading the book, “Red and Me” by Bill Russell this weekend I was struck by the secrets to leadership that came out in Bill’s description of Red Auerbach as his coach.  The reason these are so striking is that they are not all the normal things we see in leadership, executive teams and management.

•    For example, some of his descriptors were “mathematician of the highest order, understanding the efficacy of equations, especially in problem solving.”

Now I freely admit to being a “math/numbers nut” and my clients quite frequently hear me say, it all boils down to the numbers.  I also insist it is math we mastered by the 6th grade, not necessarily algebra.

How are you at the numbers?  Nine times out of ten in a situation that I am called upon to assist in, we start with numbers, work with numbers and end up letting numbers know if we are getting where we want to go.

Bottom line,” do the math,” and find people who can do the math to work for you.

Call Barbara Brannen, a Certified Situational Specialist to help your company make their numbers.  (See where she has done this before by clicking here.)