Management
Smart CEOs Use Social for Listening
Thump a turtle and watch the turtle’s head jerk back into its shell. That’s the reaction you get when you mention “social media” to some CEOs. When I encounter CEOs with heads buried deep, I don’t let the term “social media” trigger a dead-end debate. I try to move past semantics fast: People have always been…
Read MoreView Stress as Helpful to Performance (and Live Longer)
This blog post is inspired by Semih Yağcıoğlu. Semih develops software in Ankara, Turkey. Semih caught my attention after he followed me on Twitter. As I perused Semih’s stream of tweets, I came across his tweet referencing Psychologist Kelly McGonigal’s TedTalk: How to make stress your friend. This talk took place in Edinburgh, Scotland in June of 2013. How you think about stress matters: Viewing…
Read MoreAt The Edge – Avoiding The Law Firm Fall
These two guys, Roger Hayse and Andy Jillson, are my clients. They each bring a unique perspective to the change being experienced in the legal industry, and specifically, to law firms facing transitional issues. Prior to forming their law firm consultancy, Roger and Andy participated in building a strong regional firm; experiencing the near collapse of the same firm;…
Read MoreHow Do You Hold the “Leash of Leadership?”
The baby I cradle today is tomorrow’s warrior. Viggo is a Nordic boy’s name meaning “warrior.” The Icelandic variant means “one who lies in a cradle.” Every great warrior — even Alexander the Great — was cradled. This 8-week old puppy is no different. He’s a Leonberger. He could top out at 140-150 pounds in 2-3 years. I won’t be a match…
Read MoreApplying the Right “Shade” of Pressure
Years of leading businesses, training in martial arts and playing tournament golf, teaches me that: Applying the right shade of pressure is key to unleashing top performance. My personal goal is to make “performing under pressure” a habit. I believe that the right mix of practice, experience, sound fundamentals and solid coaching make this attainable. This is…
Read MoreAll Business Customers Can Be Reached by Social Channels
Five years ago, the question whether a business should use social media was met with healthy skepticism. But today businesses — including professional services firms — not using social are falling behind. According to Forrester’s latest research: In a business-to-business setting, all B2B customers can be reached via social media and social networking channels. In fact, 98% of business…
Read MoreA Unique Point of View is HUGE for Building Online Reach and Social Spread
Standing at the Precipice is an example of a unique point of view: For over 100 years, the legal profession has existed virtually unchanged. Weighed down by decades of precedent and immune to innovation. Those days are over. The time for change has come for the business of law. This is our story:https://player.vimeo.com/video/61306901 I’d say that…
Read MoreLeaders: Turn Negatives Into Positives
My leadership coach and I shared time and breakfast today. His name is Bob Burgess. As we left the restaurant, with a twinkle in his eye, Bob offered to send me a missive. A few minutes later, I found this passage from John O’Donohue’s Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom in my inbox: “If you try to avoid or…
Read MoreThe “No Urgency, Chaos or Drama” Zone
While proofing this post for Kevin, I was reminded of the first time I saw this sign: “No Urgency, Chaos or Drama” I was interviewing. This sign hangs outside Kevin’s office. I thought, okay, THIS is where I want to work. This was opposite of prior work places which, unfortunately, I became skilled at navigating.…
Read MoreA Leader’s Duty to Act: Untreated Addiction and Chronic Stress in the Legal Profession
If you’re collapsing under chronic stress then you’re not alone. This happens to water towers too:http://www.youtube.com/embed/ggg3C87UVCY?feature=oembed I hope those crumbling towers ignite a chuckle and lighten the moment for you because laughter reduces stress and that may just make you more receptive to this message: “Lawyers have twice the addiction rate of the general population and almost…
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