You’ve likely seen reverse leadership in action. It happens when someone not in a formal leadership role demonstrates great leadership ability: when a field service agent steps up with a solution to a persistent problem, for example; when a customer service rep inspires her colleagues through her exemplary customer-centric behavior. When someone on an account team improves dramatically after being …
The One Skill All Leaders Should Work On
Republished with permission If I had to pick one skill for the majority of leaders I work with to improve, it would be assertiveness. Not because being assertive is such a wonderful trait in and of itself. Rather, because of its power to magnify so many other leadership strengths. Assertiveness gets a bad rap when people equate it with being …
Find the Reverse Leaders in Your Midst
In the spirit of reverse innovation, and reverse mentoring, I submit to you that the next trend to watch out for in leadership is, you guessed it — reverse leadership. You’ve likely seen reverse leadership in action. It happens when someone not in a formal leadership role demonstrates great leadership ability: when a field service agent steps up with a solution to a …
A Wise Man Once Said
Sometimes when things get to be a little too much and I need a break, I take out one of my favorite desk books – The World According to Mister Rogers, Important Things to Remember. Growing up I spent many mornings with Mr. Rogers and his comfortable shoes. As I have gotten older I truly realize what a remarkable and wise …
Don’t Neglect the Follow Up!
You’ve just spent two hours at a networking event and you’re finally home. You’re ready to take your shoes off and sink into your DVR’d shows. WAIT – the networking event was just the beginning! We’re all guilty at times. We exchange business cards and then keep the stack on our desk for a few days and then they find …
Taking a Leap of Faith
My best friend and roommate in college recently returned from a three-month trip to Guatemala. After graduating with a degree in landscape architecture Lance decided he wanted to learn Spanish. He applied to a school in Guatemala that would provide three months of Spanish training, shelter, and two meals a day. After putting his career on hold and saying goodbye …
What Do People Think When You Walk in the Room?
I enjoy arriving to meetings early. This isn’t just because I am extremely punctual, I also love to people watch. (You do too, don’t you? It’s okay, I won’t tell!) I often find myself wondering what people think when they are people watching me. I will be honest, some days I shouldn’t receive a glowing review. You cannot be “on” …
Take the Time to Learn, to Think, and to Envision
Regardless of who you are, it is likely that you feel your work is all consuming and that you have more to accomplish than you have hours in the day. Maybe you feel guilty if you don’t take everything off of your to-do list at the end of the day. As we begin 2011, my best advice to you is …
4 Things I’ve Come to Know
“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” –Margaret Wheatley As my time as a staff member at Nonprofit Leadership Center comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on a few things I’ve come to know in my time here. These lessons, as I will call them, are not job …