Leaders should debate vigorously, then STFU and unify behind their decision. I’ve written elsewhere about what a company loses when its leaders shut down debate. This is more pronounced in those boards where dissent is viewed as treachery. People paid as decision-shapers effectively become an overpaid board of one. But I’ve also seen leadership teams […]
Leadership
Decisions – Delay some, speed others through
Being decisive is a values business asset, especially for leaders and founders of businesses. For good reason – indecisiveness can kill businesses, projects and sometimes people. It’s the topic of much research and writing. I’m currently enjoying “The Little Black Book of Decision Making: Making Complex Decisions with Confidence in a Fast-Moving World”, kindly gifted […]
The best leaders on your team may be ignoring your KPIs
When you’re evaluating leadership potential in your team, remember that all the metrics you have are proxy metrics. You can’t easily evaluate such a complex concept as leadership. If you’ve assigned them metrics, or SMART (spare me) objectives, again you’re measuring proxy. The best leaders go beyond them and do the bigger right thing. You […]
Your business can’t be about you
Entrepreneurship and business become noble when you’re doing it to improve the lot of those around you, not just yourself. I love this from Nassim Taleb. “Some people take risks and some people labor in the fields. You have the option of doing either one or the other. But my point is you should never […]
Authenticity can hurt your business
Authenticity is today’s buzzword. And like most buzzwords, although it can make sense in many contexts, it is now overused, inappropriately applied, and often plain wrong. Everyone tells leaders to “be authentic”. But what if you’re a prize arsehole? A sociopath? A bigot? A despot? Will you still take the advice of every coach out […]