Valuable Insights for Today's Leaders
A lesson in narrowing the political divide in our country
An email conversation with one of my readers narrowed the gap in our views because we listened to each other and acknowledged each other’s points even when we did not necessarily agree with them. We are all patriots. We need to talk to each other and not at each other about issues impacting our nation.
What Steve Jobs can teach us about getting out of our comfort zone
Quoting Steve Jobs, “I’ve never found anyone who has said no or hung up the phone when I called [to ask for help]. I just asked. … Most people never ask. And that’s what separates the people that do things from the people that just dream about them. You gotta act. And you gotta be willing to fail.”
Will denial of a rail permit to haul liquified natural gas through Philadelphia kill the project?
LNG released during a derailment is not only highly flammable, but also can be explosive, risking a catastrophe to people, property and the environment. There are over 1,000 train derailments each year. When the risk is small, but the result of a derailment could be catastrophic, you don’t take the risk.
After ‘pity city’ comment, MillerKnoll CEO learns key lesson in how to deliver a message
A lesson for all leaders: Watch what you say and how you say it. It impacts how you are viewed by your employees, and what you say might wind up on social media for the world to see.
Florida’s DeSantis vs. Disney: How will swing voters react to Reedy Creek action?
The GOP used to be the party of limited government interference in the affairs of individuals and companies. No longer. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a possible Republican nominee for the presidency in 2024, is playing to the GOP’s base. Is DeSantis ignoring swing voters? Time will tell.
Lessons from the drive to unionize Starbucks
Starbucks employee unionization efforts are a lesson for all companies. Listen to the concerns of your employees. Create an environment in which employees develop a feeling of ownership in what they do at the company. Do so before a movement to unionize occurs.
We should all practice the human side of leadership
Recognize that your employees are your most valuable asset. Quoting Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” Branson also said, “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
When faced with a challenge, remember where your power comes from
When faced with challenges and adversity, remember Eric Little’s statement in the film Chariots of Fire, “So where does the power come from to see the race to its end? From within.” After you look into the deep, dark abyss, it becomes your finest hour, and you emerge stronger than before.
Tech companies need to avoid en masse terminations
Don’t emulate Google and other tech companies. Avoid terminations en mass. Evaluate employee performance and the staffing needs of your company and make changes on an ongoing basis. Inform each employee who is about to be terminated individually. How you handle terminations is a reflection of you as a leader.
Customer-facing employees must possess emotional intelligence
How will a front-line customer-facing employee react in a volatile situation with a customer? They will fall back on their experiences, emotional intelligence, common sense and good critical judgment to defuse the situation.
Will Norfolk Southern board hold CEO Alan Shaw accountable for avoiding derailments?
It’s up to the boards and CEOs of railroads to change their mindsets and recognize that they need to be on a mission critical journey to eliminate derailments. Practically, zero derailments will not be achieved, but that needs to be the goal.
Be more effective when presenting capital projects for approval with these tips
The best way to communicate verbally or in writing is to put yourself in the place of the intended audience and ask yourself how you would like to receive the information. Too many people don’t consider this, and it hurts their ability to effectively communicate what they are trying to say.
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