Someone on your payroll needs to go. You know it, the people that work with this under-performer know it, and the under-performer probably knows it. Ranchers call it “culling the …

Though I’m not a huge “Star Wars” fan, there’s a line from one of the films that sums up my thoughts on accountability. Accountability is a form of commitment. Commitment …

Staples Canada is spending big bucks to manage employee accountability. http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/article/189253/Staples-Canada-implements-customer-experience-management-program. The small and mid-sized companies that I work with drive accountability through peer-to-peer relationships – not by spending an …

Developing a Culture of Accountability True or False? “Everyone in our organization knows the top objectives and understands what’s expected of them.” If you’re not sure, and those you direct …

One of the most important questions you’ll ever ask of someone – whether posed outright to the person or asked silently in your head and pondered in your heart – …

Setting New Year’s Resolutions: Defy Failure This Year It’s the dawn of a New Year. Are you setting New Year’s resolutions? Studies show that the resolutions most of us make …

Are You Living in the Now? “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle What’s your most precious commodity? It’s time. …

In 2005, I became a Chair for Vistage International. My charge then as now was to assemble a group of 16 owners, partners, presidents and CEOs from non-competing businesses and …

The Socratic Method “Let him that would move the world first move himself.” – Socrates You’ve probably heard of the Socratic Method, but what is it exactly and what does it mean …

America’s Best Presidential Inauguration Speeches Forty-eight years ago today, our third grade teacher sent us home early. President Kennedy had been fatally wounded in Dallas, Texas. From the time John …

Steve Jobs wanted to change the world. He did. If you don’t understand what a major impact Jobs had on all of our lives then click here to read about …

In the spirit of Halloween, here are 10 scary questions to ask yourself and answer to get the most out of life. I selected these 10 questions from more than …

The following is an excerpt from That’s a Great Question, Greg Bustin’s latest must-read book for leaders and CEOs who are interested in understanding what matters most to take action, …

How to Plan for Business In the last 30 days, I’ve led four strategic planning sessions for companies in four different industries: financial services, healthcare staffing, heating & air conditioning and …

As inevitably as the seasons change, thousands of companies every year shut their doors because of the leadership team’s failure to develop a written plan and then implement it. Tens …

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.†~ Plato (BC 427-BC 347) You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint. Why would you build your business without …

The general who orchestrated D-Day – General Dwight Eisenhower – said, “In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” It’s true that …

Strategic planning season is upon us. For organizations whose fiscal year ends December 31, the period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving is prime time for planning. Vacations are over and …

Company Culture: How to Start Winning As the NBA Finals unfolded six weeks ago, bringing in enormous crowds and thousands of people watching on the ESPN network (view the source …

Communication Tips for Effective Leadership In college, I played drums in a jazz band numbering some 20 musicians. The leader – Dick Goodwin, a highly regarded music professor, well-traveled musician …