Give more than what is asked, do more than what is demanded. Go the extra mile. It’s an injunction made famous by no less than Jesus Christ, in his Sermon on the Mount: “If anyone compels you to go one mile, go with them twain.” In Biblical times, a Roman soldier could command anyone who […]
Read More… from The Power of the Extra Mile: Where True Greatness Begins
Make every encounter count. On a flight to Melbourne in 2002 with the late John Caldon – former Deputy MD of Macquarie Group – I was seated a few rows back and noticed that John was in a highly engaged conversation with the passenger seated next to him. Curious, and thinking it might be someone […]
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Almost all issues have two handles: a sturdy handle and a wobbly one. Your job, as a leader, is to consistently choose the sturdy handle. “Every event has two handles,” the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, once said – “one by which it can be carried, and one by which it can’t. If your brother does you […]
Read More… from Choose the Sturdy Handle: Leadership in Difficult Moments
There is such a thing as a good defeat and a bad defeat – part of your role as a leader is being able to discern the difference. A good defeat is where you play to your strengths, you’re bold and you give it everything you’ve got. A bad defeat is when you fail to […]
Read More… from Good Defeat vs. Bad Defeat: Leading with Courage and Commitment
Whose voice do you hear the most in your life? Your own. So, if you want to know where you will be in five years from now, listen to what you think and say about yourself today. Listen very carefully to your inner voice. Make sure it’s kind in tone and tough on substance – […]
Read More… from Listen Closely: Your Inner Voice Shapes Your Future
Beware resentment. What you resent, you begin to resemble. If you resent the rude, you will become more rude. If you resent the wealthy, you will secretly covet wealth. If you resent the aggressive, you will tend towards aggression. Make conscious what is unconscious. Or your children will do it for you. What parents repress, […]
Read More… from Beware Resentment: What You Resist, You Become
Lessons from my father. On a family business retreat in 2012, my father told me something I already knew: “Your brother Shane is annoyed that when you arrive in the office every day, you don’t ever come to his office to say good morning.” “But dad, I arrive at the office at 8.25am and my […]
Read More… from Lessons from My Father: The Power of a Simple Good Morning
What if there are people around you who will never fulfil their potential unless YOU encourage them? What if there are people around you who will never fulfil their potential unless YOU stretch them? None of us (thankfully) are that powerful – but we should imagine ourselves to be. Leadership magnifies impact. Make sure your […]
Read More… from Leadership Amplifies Potential: Be the Encouragement They Need
Leaders long for a better tomorrow, or else they are not leaders at all. Leaders are dealers in hope. Leaders are driven to reimagine and refashion the future – and that’s not possible without a clear and compelling vision. Without a new force, we tend towards inertia. Without vision, the future will be nothing more […]
Read More… from Leaders Are Dealers in Hope: Shape the Future You Want