SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

Many strategy execution processes fail because the firm does not have something worth executing. The strategy consultants come in, do their work, and document the new strategy in a PowerPoint presentation and a weighty report. Town hall meetings are organized, employees are told to change their behavior, balanced scorecards are reformulated, and budgets are set aside to support initiatives that fit the new strategy. And then nothing happens. One major reason for the lack of action is that “new strategies” are often not strategies at all. A real strategy involves a clear set of choices that define what the firm is going to do and what it’s  not  going to do. Many strategies fail to get implemented, despite the ample efforts of hard-working people, because they do not represent a set of clear choices. Many so-called strategies are in fact goals. “We want to be the number one or number two in all the markets in which we operate” is one of those. It does not te...

The saddest thing about today's corporate world is the internal politics, that some people are willing to play in order to get ahead. Instead of pulling others up, many managers choose to push people down.  Your most valuable asset is your people . Many leaders failed, i can name a few who treat their staffs like dog's, shouts, abuse in which the owners of the company close 1 eye.  And how you treat them, is literally the difference between  success and failure . Micromanaging, blaming and holding people back, will only lead to a culture of distrust with high turnover, low morale and reduced creativity. The corporate world is littered with managers but lack leaders. Over the course of may career, I only had one manager who was a leader. He made such an impact and influenced my leadership style. It is a rare individual who excels in both managing and leading.  Great leaders don’t surround themselves with "yes employees" or need their ego to be constant...

You don’t get bonus points for struggling. Only battle scars. When taking over a new job or project, or when the responsibilities or multiple deadlines push you to overload, it’s time to collaborate for the input you need. Weak leaders hesitate to ask for help, fearing others will see them as incapable. Strong leaders, on the other hand, focus on more strategic issues of accomplishing the mission, developing team capabilities and confidence, and gaining buy-in for overall success. So when you need expertise you don’t have, here’s how to go about getting it from others on your team or outside your area or organization: Strong Leaders Ask for Help Rather Than Struggle and Miss Strategic Goals and Timelines Forget the Face-Saving Balderdash You’ve probably heard this quip about banks: “You have to prove to them you don’t  need  a loan, before they’ll give you one.” Don’t try that stunt at home—or work—when you need help. Avoid all the long preambles about how you don’t really nee...

I think of myself as strong. I see myself as someone who can manage a lot of stress. Who can get a tremendous amount accomplished in a day. Who can work long hours and pull through in clutch moments. Who doesn’t give up in the face of problems, but works tirelessly until they are solved. I am a leader and most leaders I know feel the same way. We have to — our companies, our employees, our clients, our families — they all rely on us to pull through in the clutch. And we do. Sometimes, in our skillful mastery of pressure, complexity, and accomplishment, we can feel super-human. But then, on my way to dinner in New York with old friends from high school, my bicycle hit a pothole and stopped abruptly while I flew over the handlebars and slammed head-first into a parked car. Dazed, bloody, lying on the street, I couldn’t think. Some people nearby came to ask if I was OK, but I didn’t know. They asked if I needed water, but I didn’t know. When I eventually staggered to me feet, they asked i...