Wisdom Vault - Articles
Aikido for Leaders
Whether you have taken martial arts classes or not, you have probably heard of Aikido, The Art of Peace. Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba between the 1920’s and 1960’s. The essence of Aikido is non-resistance. The art focuses on harmonizing with one's opponent and guiding the force of an attack to a peaceful reconciliation. It is also a martial art whose tradition has emphasized the moral and spiritual aspects of this art, placing great weight on the development of harmony and peace. "The Way of Harmony with the Spirit" is one way that "Aikido" may be translated into English.... Read More
A Bold Conversation in Learning and Coaching
For the last couple of months I have spent considerable time in reflection. I have inquired into the value of the work we do at Sophia Associates, Inc. and have solicited feedback from clients, colleagues and associates... Read More
Cultivating Mindfulness in Uncertain Times
There is no doubt that these are uncertain times. No one has access to a magic crystal ball. The reality is that you are working in uncharted territory with no clear answers. Yet as a leader, you are there to provide a vision and navigation for your company... Read More
Finding Your Ground
Paul Rezendes is a friend of mine. I met Paul in 1993 when he took me tracking in the woods of Western Massachusetts. It was Columbus Day weekend in the Berkshire Mountains and the woods were vibrating orange, yellow and brown. The cold wind whispered invisible paths through the trees as a ragtag group of neophytes entered the woods with the master tracker. It was an unforgettable day... Read More
Leadership and the New Mythology
What times are these? Truthfully, no one can answer this. There is so much we don't know. For every argument for an issue, there is an equally valid argument against it. For every strategy that worked in the past there is an equally qualified strategy that will not work in the future. ... Read More
Equality, Not Sameness: Measuring Women’s Leadership
Catalyst, the women’s research organization published their report on Women CEO's of Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies and found twelve female CEO's in Fortune 500 and fourteen in Fortune 1000. That is dismal to say the least.... Read More
Navigating Hard Times
I live near Annapolis Maryland. Sailing and boating are a primary means of recreation here. I was recently sailing with a couple of friends and reflecting on how sailing is a metaphor for what I notice in leadership coaching conversations. I am not a sailor so I defer to those who have a greater competency in this arena but as an observer, I will share my observations that correlate to leadership.... Read More
Envisioning the Future
Each year most companies go through the often-painful process of strategic planning. They bring together the leadership team, comb through piles of financial data, review marketing plans and set goals and determine strategies for achieving those goals. The result is the hallowed document that ideally should point to 3-5 years of direction-setting processes, procedures and systems that need to be in place in order to achieve those goals.... Read More
SMART CEO'S AND HOW THEY OPERATE NOW
In working with CEO's I've been able to notice what some of the more successful CEO's are doing. Let me define successful. Their companies are generating revenue, innovating new services or products, or gaining market share. But most significantly, they are not anxious or stressed over the recession, they are not driven by fear even if they are cautious, and they are optimistic without the Polly Anna outlook.... Read More
The Artisan CEO – Unlocking Your Creativity and Theirs
Most CEO's will tell you that leadership development and business acumen are pre-requisites for the job. Add something else to the list – Creativity. In a new study by IBM, creativity showed up as the most important leadership quality for success in business. Integrity (52%) and global thinking (35%) took second and third place to creativity (60%).... Read More
The Many Languages of Leadership
Corporate America knows the language of doing and measurement. It knows the language of action steps, best practices, productivity, benchmarks and Six Sigma. What the highest levels of corporate America are lacking is an ability to be fluent in the multiple languages of leadership. These languages are not typically learned in business schools but acquired through experience, openness and maturity.... Read More
The Myth of Time Management
Do you know of anyone who has more than 24 hours in a day? If so, please let me know as I can always do more if given the time. Most of us feel that there is not enough time in our day to do all the things we feel we must do or want to do. Yet, I can't help but bristle at the term “time management”. I don't presume to be able to manage time. What I do feel capable of doing, although it is challenging, is to manage my choices.... Read More
THE POWER OF CULTURAL MYTHOLOGY
Every organization has its own mythology, the stories it tells that help define who they are and how they came into existence. Some mythologies are novels full of grandiose events, some are memoirs full of insurmountable odds that were overcome and some are adventures with twists and turns that no one would have expected. And of course there are those that appear very much like fiction!... Read More
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