Group Link and Politics

This is a great description of the effects of group think (although a bit long). At about the 7 minute mark he goes into the impact of hearing a message over and over. Seems if we hear something enough times, we have a tendacy to believe it to be true.. It explains why how political campaigns and even news interviews can distort reality.  More importantly, it is a warning to leaders to ensure dissent (one of  four (4)conversations of the elusive high performing team) when ideas are being discussed. Watch it and reflect. Post comments on your own thoughts on group think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrNIuFrso8I

PSU - Not just about football

Reading this news this morning, I came away with tremendous dissapointment in the press and their coverage of the Freeh report on the Sandusky matter at PSU.  Yes.. I am dissapointed in Joe Pa.. and the entire administrative team, but I am saddened by how poorly this is being reported. Yes.. he was a football coach..and yes it happened within the football complex, but this is not an issue of football leadership.  Again, this is not about football.  This is about the academic model of leadership..  this about authority and culture, a culture that may need to consider how it should evolve.

Most large universities have a signficantly distributed leadership model. Professors are entitled to freedom.. the ability to explore and discover in areas that they (because they are considerd the expert) deem most important to the field of study they work in. Full professors maintain signficant influence and power over the operations of their departments. Department Heads are more facilitative leaders, even servants to the needs of the majority of professors (some heads only serve a short term, or are only called Chairs). Deans lead, but only through budget allocations and position approvals, but much of the day to day operations is delegated. (Do you see where this is going).  Senior administrators have power, but it is culturally used only in signficant matters.  They shape the university over time, but they rarely involve themselves in personnel matters.  There is a culture of empowerment that goes well past anything corporate america has even imaged.   Of course, this culture extends to all areas.. Presidents, Chancellors, Provosts, etc, operate at a level where they delegate most of the issues to Deans, Directors, and yes Coaches.  This is the culture at most significant universities..not just PSU.

Now, we know this culture has been one of great innovation. It is not surprising that american universities are some of the greatest research engines in the world. This culture of autonomy and freedom has allowed researchers to defy the norms of their field and explore areas outside the traditions of the past and create new products that we all enjoy. Many of these products have some piece of their evolution in a lab somewhere on an University campus. Just ask University of Penn how the world would have been different if not for the ENIAC. So we could argue that this culture should be preserved, but we could also argue that it is a cutlure that breeds the kind of innovation that Sandusky practices. Someway we need to control the Sanduskys' of the world.

In my practice, I have already seen an increase in hierachial decision making at land grant universities. New colleges have been created. Departments merged. this is a trend brought on by budget issues in some cases, but it is evolving the university culture. A culture change that is not always viewed as positive. The trend raises questions for today's university presidents, chancellors, provosts and deans. Here are just a few that come to mind this morning.

How do we ensure effective personal conduct of faculty, coaches, and all others and still maintain an empowering culture?

Do I have an obligation to discover the ethical lapses (hopefully less criminal) occuring on my watch?

What organizational systems need to be in place to ensure the safety of all our faculty, staff, students and visitors?

If faced with an incident, what mechanisms need to be put into place to ensure the rights of the vicitms.. and the accused?

That's enough for this post.. I will end with a message to my PSU friends. You are not alone.. this is not a PSU problem.. it is a higher ed problem. Continue to discover the new PSU you are developing.. continue to be the academic leader you have always been.

Lessons in Greatness

Life imitates success in the business world often through how we deal with personal challenges. Rory McILroy demonstrated the grace of humility this weekend while still balancing what will also be known as one of the greatest performances in US Open Golf history. Despite breaking records in the double digits, when asked to reflect on lessons that prepared him, he spoke distinctly of what will no doubt be one of the greatest collapses in modern golf history.

Think back.. May of this year, 2011. You're 22, and in a country not of your birth. Your leading what can only be called the most signficant tournament in your short career by four strokes. The Masters, Augusta Georgia, every golfer's dream to win. As you make the turn at 10, you are still in the lead by one stroke and then it happens. A collapse so devastating, you end up in a tie for 15th. You end up shooting an 80... a score so high it is unexplainable except that you Choked. Ouch. The tournament was your's to lose.. and you lost it big. How would you handle it:

Not only did Rory talk to reporters for 10 minutes.. he was respectful, honest and pragmantic.. My favorite quote.. came later the next day or so... and was somewhat telling...

"I think it's a Sunday at a major, what it can do. This is my first experience at it, and hopefully the next time I'm in this position, I'll be able to handle it a little better. I didn't handle it particularly well today, obviously, but it was a character-building day. Put it that way. I'll come out stronger for it." - Rory McIlory - May 2011

Now.. it is several months later. You're faced with the same task. You're up 9 strokes coming into the last day of the next major tournament. Think of the pressure you would face. You choke now, and your labeled for life. Think of Greg Norman in the history of the Masters. Every golfer knows this and the presure that comes with this moment. But this time is different.. this time, not only do you handle it, but you thrive. Winning at a record margin. You have mastered the field. How would you respond when ask what made the difference this June. Would you point to the hard work you put in, to how you have honed your putting in ways you hadn't before, or maybe point out that the collapse in May was fluke. Not Rory.. no.. just honest and direct...

"Augusta was a very valuable experience for me. I knew what I needed to do today to win and at Augusta I learn a few things about myself and my game. I put a few different things into practice and it paid off." - Roy McIlory - June 2011 - US Open Champion

It is rare, to have failure and success happen so soon, so similiar and yet so visible to the world. It is even more rare to find a leader who can face his failure in a public and humble way. This Sunday we were blessed to see an example of this that reminds us that our best growth comes through failures. Our best learning and much of our success is due to a honed skill of facing our less than graceful moments. Reflection is an action!

Here's toasting a pint to Rory's great example of leadership!

Succession Planning needs a new conversation

In the October HR magazine.. Theresa Minton-Eversole reports that most companies are unprepared for succession at the top. Not to diminish her contribution, but this has been a common theme now for a good 15 years. Just pick through any of the management, human resource, or organizational development mags and you will find articles saying the same thing.

When we coach managers on correcting employee behavior, we tell them that when a pattern emerges of repeat behavior, the conversation needs to change. When an employee is continuously late, it is a different matter than when they have only been late once or twice. Well, the pattern around succession planning has been there 15 years... leaders worry about it and then ignore it. And although HR and OD experts have continuously spoken to the need for better succession planning, I am familiar with few organizations that are even doing a good job with just workforce planning. Just having a staffing plan seems to be a challenge to today's organizations and few if any, once they identify gaps are spending the resources to fully develop their next leaders.

So the question is, what needs to change in the conversation to get leaders to invest in leadership development. What will help today's executive and leaders come to understand that investing a little now in development will save lots later... you tell me.. I have an answer, but would love to hear your thoughts first?

Great Destroyers of Trust

I have spent the past five years putting together a model of trust that incorporates the contemporary theories of our time. Today, I will touch on one of the more profound surprises I discovered. While most leaders know that saying what you mean, doing what your saying, and demonstrating integrity is critical to building a trusting culture. These are not enough.. and sadly most leaders think they are... in fact the greatest destroyer of trust is to do nothing when a wrong has been committed.

First a little background... Harvard Business Review had an article in 2003 that reported that even the most ethical leaders are sometimes perceived as distrustful. One of the main points of the author was that despite their integrity leaders are often perceived as treating people in an unequal manner. It is only common sense that sometimes leaders must maintain confidentially and employees may have significant differences in needs. It would be easy to say that even though the leader is acting ethically, others will see it different. That is the easy answer.. the truth maybe rooted in a more significant lost of faith in the leader.

Gottman's work on marriage and divorce has shown that how we treat each other is critical. To treat someone with contempt is to destroy the relationship. These same principles translate to work.. the more we show contempt for an employee the less they will trust us. However, Gottman also showed that the more we show respect and treat each other ethically, the more they trust. It can be complex, because the minute minute a leader begins to treat anyone with contempt, it impacts how everyone else sees them as well. We judge others not just how they treat us, but also others.. which took me to the more profound and important lesson. It is not just how they treat us.. or how they treat others.. it is how they treat everything.. especially the environment we work in... Yes, We hold leaders accountable for the environment we work in. If the environment is not ethical, employees expect leaders to fix it the environment. To Right the Wrong so speak. "I'm sorry.. you know I didn't have anything to do with it.. we may just have to live with it..." OUCH.. Can't you just feel the trust being drained out of that relationship.

So what is the lesson? For me, it is that being ethical is not enough. Leaders must have the courage to face down the errors of others, even their supervisors and create environments of trust. If your a leader and you want to build trust.. take ownership of the environment and go right the wrongs. Your expected to do this by all that follow you... and if you don't have the courage or you don't have the skill to fix the environment.. then maybe it is time to move on to a some place where you can...

Harvard has an excellent "Working Knowledge" article on Mile Davis and innovation. It is an interview with HBS professor Robert D. Austin and Carl Størmer, founding principal of JazzCode, a consulting and entertainment firm specializing in improvisational collaboration and communication in high-performance teams. They do a great job of showing Davis as a master of innovation. It is full of leadership nuggets.. here is just one..

I think the experience in Paris where he composed and recorded a film score for director Louis Malle (for Elevator to the Gallows, 1958) in a single night was important. There he might have realized that simplicity was one way to create great music in a very short time. Maybe he realized that this recipe could be improved further: get good songs, simplify them as much as possible, get the best players in the world, and force them to listen to the music by not telling them what to do.

I am sure you will enjoy this regardless of whether you even know whoDavis was... and you might even learn a bit about music that will make you want to download some itunes.... Check it out

The Effect of Expectations

Noted psychologist Frankl wrote of how individuals who had some expectation to serve after the war survived the concentration camps much better. Frankl's own example of his own desire to teach graduate courses in psychology and to capture the human response to the horror of the concentration camps is a living example of how man can mentally overcome anything. Here is a short video that shows a modern example of how the role of expectations plays out in real life. Ask yourself the question: Am I expecting something good to happen.... ? Maybe you should!

Coach Yow, a special person. Bless her.

It is my practice never to post the same content twice and to keep my posts rather short, but today it is fitting to break both those protocols in honor of a person who with just a small number others pioneered the game of college women basketball. It is with much sadness that I share that Coach Yow died today after an extended battle with cancer and I know there are thousands like me who have Coach and all her family and friends in our thoughts tonight. She was a remarkable person both on and off the court. Few people are so special... who are motivated to do something not by what they will get, but by what they might give to so many others!

In honor of Coach, please read some of my favorite quotes from Coach Yow (taken from a post I made back in 07 and attached at the bottom of this post), but first I thought you might like to read a few of the comments made today about Coach:

Yow coached this program for 34 seasons -- from the birth of modern-day women's college basketball to a time when fans now expect to see several televised games a week.... Who else was this successful at this high a level while always being universally liked? Who else inspired only admiration and never ire in her foes? Even her fiercest adversary -- Cancer, with the capital C -- would have expressed boundless admiration, were it an entity that could speak.- Mechelle Voepel, ESPN

She has instilled in each of us what it means to be winners as people, and if we are winners as people then we will have our best shot at winning on the court. I know I speak for all former and current players and staff when I say with a swell of heartfelt emotion that she will truly be missed each moment of everyday. - Stephanie Glance, Close friend and Asst Coach

The great thing about her is that she had the courage to fight her battle in public, and as a result she not only fought for herself, but for everybody that has cancer, will have cancer, and for the families who are involved. She created an amazing awareness for that fight and set such a good example, especially in this area with Jimmy (Valvano) as a male and for Kay to do that, I don't think any area of the country has brought an awareness to the fight against cancer like this one. God bless her - she was a terrific lady. A fighter 'til the end.- Mike Krzyzewsk, Duke men's coach

Kay Yow has been a pioneer for women’s basketball, she is using every ounce of her breath to fulfill what she feels is her purpose in this life – to help young people through her ability to coach basketball. - Sylvia Hatchell, UNC women's coach

We all have gained wisdom and gleaned inspiration from the way she lives her life spiritually, the way she lives her life as a professional and how she has the ability to make a difference in someone’s life just by taking the time to be there for them. - Debbie Antonelli, former Wolfpack player.

"I had two players from Tennessee on that team in Lea Henry and Cindy Noble, and I yelled at them constantly because I knew I could and they could take it. One day, we were walking back from our practice gym and Kay said, very calmly and quietly, 'Well, you know, Pat, I just wonder if you've really thought about how much more that Cindy Noble and Lea Henry are going to learn from you.' Then she said, 'I think they're both trying really hard and they both want to please you, but how much more do you think they can possibly do?' I remember shaking my head and saying, 'Good point.' And I backed off both of them. She was right. She made me a better coach just in subtle ways, in things she'd say to me." - Pat Summit, Tennessee Coach

Friday, March 30, 2007

Kay Yow - Heart and Soul

The NC State Alumni Magazine has an excellent interview with Kay Yow, head basketball coach of the Lady Wolfpack Basketball Team! This is a must read. In a sport where players often grandstand and slam dunks are what we see on the highlight reel... Kay Yow has quietly won over 700 games, led a team to gold in the Olympics, and accumulated numerous championships. And she did it all with humility and grace. Her latest honor, 2007 Naismith Women's Outstanding Contribution to Basketball, is no surprise!

Just to share a bit of what she gives to us all.. check out these quotes by Coach Yow:

On making a little more money by changing jobs:

"Bloom where you are planted"

On the importance of perspective:

"I don't think I've ever won a championship and didn't think, Count the towels" - (Even when you win, you have to count the towels you brought and make sure you take them home..

On leading others:

"Each Person is a unique individual. The same motivations don't work for every single person."

"The more you know them, the more you can help them."

"In the end, it is the relationships that matter. They are far above anything else because they continue for a lifetime."


On her battle with cancer...

"Don't let the urgent get in the way of the important"

"...it is a tough time, but roses are still out there. And don't wallow in self-pity."

"Run the race strong and press on..."

Kay.. run the race strong.. press on.. we will be with you... pulling for you along the way!

Posted by Mitch Owen at 11:07 AM

Cal Ripken on Leadership

Sorry I have been such a slacker when it comes to posts.. Life had been quite busy lately and I have let things slide. Today's post captures the main points in a speech given at NCSU by Cal Ripen, the "Iron Man" of baseball! Cal's focus for the speech and his book are the secrets to perseverance; something we would all agree Cal Ripken Jr. epitomized!

The 8 keys to perseverance!I have added the questions as my contribution!

1. You need to have The Right Approach Cal Ripken spoke on the importance of knowing your role and what your primary mission is with the organization you work for. It must be hones and clear! It is what will help you overcome the challenges each day. For Cal it was simple: "Come to the ball park ready to play and if the manager chooses me, play!" Do you have a Clear Mission of what your purpose is every day?
2. A Strong Will to Succeed is the second key to perseverance. This is genetic, you either have it or don't. It is an internal drive to do things, desire to accomplish things. This energy has to be channeled. It can result in tantrums and negative behavior when things do not go smoothly. Cal Ripken talked about running laps or doing push ups when we was upset about something that didn't go well. How much inner drive do you have?
3. Passion and love for what you do is also important. Cal Ripken's dad was fond of saying to him "There are too many people n this world doing things they hate!" Finding a job or task you really love to do often carries you through the tough times. It is what makes working worth the effort. How much love do you have for the job you do?
4. There are just some people who Love to Compete. Cal Ripken shared how even as he got older, he enjoyed the competitive challenges of new young shortstops joining the team. It allowed hime to have a honest assessment of who he was. Are you resting in your current role or are you trying to increase your performance above last months?
5. Consistency is the ability to adjust and readjust.. to perform every day. Develop many skills, solve problems and find solutions, and do more than just your primary job. Do these on a regular basis and you will be irreplaceable. Remember, and I quote Cal Ripken "In the spirit of helping a team, it is not always your main skill that you can contribute." Ever heard of a shortstop calling pitches.. well Cal Ripken did at one point in his career. What kept him in the game was more than hitting and playing shortstop. Are you reliable, consistent and doing more than just your primary job?
6. You need to have the Conviction to carry out what your doing. Stubborn in a good way, Thick Skinned when you need to be. He was not talking about stupid stubborn like not going to the Doctor when your sick or selfish stuborn. he was talking about live your life as your values tell you to. It is about seeing things to the end. Sticking to it! Do you stand up for what you believe in?
7. Strength is the seventh key! Both Physical and Mental strength is needed to survive. As you become older, Knowledge becomes more important, learning is the key. Too many people think they know it all by the time they graduate or get that big promotion. The truth is the big promotion should be your call to learn more and more. Are you a life-long learner?
8. The final and maybe the most important key to perserverance is how you practice good Life Management. Achieving balance between professional (Managers & Media) and personal (family) life is not only important, but necessary. Engage your boss.. clarify expectations.. do the same for your family. It is about understanding what each needs.Transparency is the key. Even with the media, he as able to weather any and all storms. Do you clafiry mutual expectations with your boss and spouse? Your Children?
   

One final note.. Cal Ripken jr. was maybe the last true baseball player for lots of reasons. He played for the same team all his career, dedicated to a love the game, and through it all he showed class. There is a reason we all idolize him and it is for all the right reasons. It is a shame we have so few role models like Cal today in sports!

Tom Rath's Gallop Findings

Tom Rath (2006) reported in his book Vital Friends: The People You Can't Afford to Live Without that there are eight vital roles that friends play in helping employees succeed:

• Builders (those who motivate you to achieve more)
• Champions (those loyalists who stand up for you)
• Collaborators (those with similar interests)
• Companion (those classic friends who you call
  first with your news)
• Connectors (those who introduce you to others)
• Energizers (those who give you a boost when
  you’re down)
• Mind-openers (those who expand your horizons)
• Navigators (those who you go to for advice)

In 2007, he spoke to the crowd at ASTD about the findings that each of us are more likely to stay in our jobs and with our organizations if we have more than 5 friends at work. So what does this all mean to the workplace leader. Here in the USA where our workplace culture asks us to be task oriented and not relationship oriented, to be objective or rather not subjective, to focus on return on investment and competition.. maybe we are missing a major lesson. Competition, return on investment, and being good at our tasks are critical to success, but creating a culture where employees can build and foster friendships may be the different in having a sustainable engaged workforce. Using the eight types of friends listed above, ask yourself what your are doing to create a workplace culture that encourages these types of relationships. Look at everything.. for example:

Does your system of giving raises and bonuses encourage or discourage employees to take on these roles?
Does the funding priorities set by you create opportunities for these friendships to emerge?

It is very revealing.. For example, leaders are pushing training more and more to distant mediums to save costs these days... I'm not convinced we can develop the friendships we need without some time face to face...

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Malcolm Gladwell and Robert Krulwich at the 92nd Street Y

Gladwell shares his perspective on selection vs. treatment of students. Questions to ponder....

• What is the implication from leaders who are coaching others?
• What factors do we use to select?
• Do we find individuals with the right work ethic who need to be developed further?
• Do we seek to find the perfect employee and not invest in developing them?
• Are we under developing our people and focusing too much on finding the best employee?

The lesson is that we all need to give attention to this issue and ensure the right balance. There are factors we need in every employee to ensure they can develop.. but most employees have a huge potential when placed in the right environment.

What to Ask the Next President

Excellent video... while dancing around the political landscape...

A exercise you should do.. what are the 5 questions you would ask to determine who will be a great leader... the next president of the USA?

Now.. what are you doing to answer these questions in your own leadership journey?

What should you be doing that your not already doing?

Gladwell on Innovation

Gladwell began his presentation by discussing Art! Specifically, he talked about Cezanne and Picasso. Their greatest came about in very different in a ways and teaches about the human potential. Their are two types of innovators according to Gladwell:

Experimental Innovators - Cezanne - He had no bold ideas.. All of his mastery is done through doing and failing and redoing. He slowly worked over time to enhance his skills to become a master - we call these late bloomers. As an example, a piece done by Cezanne late in his life is worth far more than something he did early in his career.

Conceptual Innovators - Picasso - Precocious and radical thinker.. he brought radical notions on modern art to the world and made a name for himself overnight. Picasso's most valuable works are those he created early in this career.

There are other examples:
Mark Twain - Took nine years to write Huckle Berry Finn.. wrote in his 50s - Experimental
Melville - Wrote Moby Dick - 32 yrs old.. wrote in one year.. Conceptual

Orson Wells - Citizen Cane -Directed at age of 26 - Conceptual
Alfred Hitchock - Vertigo - directed at 59. Same genre over and over.. Experimental

Gladwell stressed that he fears that we have chosen to value the conceptual innovator more so than the experimental. We have fallen out of love with Cezanne! This has profound impact on us.

He uses the example the record industry to make the point. The album "Rumors" by Fleetwood Mac is one of the best album in the world.. but most people don't know that it took 10 years, 16 different band members moving in and out of the band and 14 albums before Fleetwood Mac had it right.. Rumos was their 16 album. In contrast the Eagles were a similar band but they were different.. Their very first album was a huge hit.. they had their greatest hits in the 1st three years of the band.

Consider this.. Fleetwood Mac makes their record label 10s of billions of dollars.. because their record label stayed with them despite all their doing and failing and redoing. Today, the record industry has given up on music artist.. Your first single is where they decide if your going to make it. They have turned their back on the kind of genius represented by Fleetwood Mac and Cezanne!

Gladwell finished by suggesting four things we need to do...

• We need to have judgment! Think of the record executive who stayed with Fleetwood Mac
• We need to be flexible - help leaders develop over time in different ways
  
• We need to be patient - You have to wait until people are in their 50s & 60s.. to see their great work
• We have to be prepared to help.
  

Marshal Goldsmith -ASTD 2008 San Diego

Marshall Goldsmith, one of the world's top executive coaches, presented the today at ASTD. the following is what I captured from his excellent talk. (Excuse the errors.. I am blogging live). It is important to note that he stressed that he learned most of what he shared through coaching. Teaching is his love.. and he told us anything he does is available from this web site :

http://www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com/

Told us we can use anything from his site. A very open-source kinda guy! I am already a fan!

He began by quoting Drucker and reminded us that it is often what we stop doing that make us a better leader, not what we start doing.

Classic issues that executives struggle with:

• Winning too much - #1 problem of executives! 75% of his clients fail this case study.. whereas they were right on something and showed everyone they know it. Too competitive!
  
• Adding too much value - when someone gives us an idea.. we always have to suggest how to improve it. We still ideas from our team. ("My suggestions become orders" - CEO of Glaxo-Cline) Before speaking.. breath.. ask yourself is it worth it?
  
• Telling the world how smart we really are - You don't have to prove your smart.. It is not important for your subordinates to know you know so much.. let them be the smart one
• Passing to much judgment - Help more, pass less judgment.
  

Having spoken to thousands of people, he asks them all.. "What percent of interpersonal communication is spent on:"

• "Listening to other people talk about how smart, special, or wonderful they are (or saying it)?"
• "Listening to other people talk about how stupid, inept, or incompetent someone else is (or saying it)?"

The answer is 65% of all interpersonal communication is spent on this!

He stressed that we have to quit the following things:

1. Using destructive comment, about individuals?
   
2. Begin sentences with "No," "but," or "however."
   
3. Begin sentences with "That's great, but (however)...

One item not seen on leadership profiles... He had reviewed many instruments.. "effectively "sucks up" to higher management" We have a great problem with individuals kissing up because we created an environment.

Guidelines:

• How much do you think your direct reports like you?
• How much do your direct reports resemble you?
• What is their contribution to our company and our customers?
• How much positive recognition do you give your direct reports?

Goldsmith charge the group to pick one behavior you are going to work on. Then he did his famous Feedforward exercise: Go to other people and tell them what you want to work on.. ask them to give you feedback (ideas) without discussing the past, you must listen without judging , learn as much as you can. Move to as many people as you can in the time allowed. After the exercise.. he asked the group to finish the sentence "This exercise was...._____________" The answers were all positive, fun and useful, because:

• successful people love getting ideas.
• you don't have to think... you can listen and learn.
  
• no judging is allowed, so it is a very positive experience
  
• you are not obligated to do the idea.
• reciprocity.. it is two way.. both give ideas and thanks
  
• you do not have to know them get help or to help them
• you do not have to be superior to help someone

His best coaching exercise:

Think about a 95 year old person who is about to die.. what advice would they give you?

Final comments:

• Be happy now!
• Friends and Family are important!
• Have a dream!
• Take the time to help people

Commencement Continuted

2008 Commencement Address by Barbara Kingsolver

The following quote comes from Barbara Kingsolver's speech, titled "How to be Hopeful," given at Duke's 2008 commencement ceremony May 11 at Wallace Wade Stadium. Barbara Kingsolver is a novelist, essayist, non-fiction and short-story writer. An audio version of her speech is available on iTunes.

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. The most you can do is live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides. "

Graduation Speeches

This time of year, all the great leaders get asked to impart on young graduates their wisdom. Here are just a few lessons from two of this year's speakers:

Erskine Bowles, UNC University System President and Former Chief of Staff for President Clinton, shared five principles for success to the graduates of North Carolina State University:

1. Don't promise more than you can deliver.
2. Do quality work in everything you approach (i.e. if it is worth doing, do it right).
3. Don't be afraid of change (i.e. change happens so figure out how to make it work for you).
4. Do your part to add to the "community woodpile" (i.e. have a sense of civic responsibility).
5. Take time for your family.
   
   

Phillip Balley of Earth, Wind, and Fire to the Berkley College of Music:

1. Never lose your creativity.
   
2. Never lose your excitement.
   
3. Never lose your pure love for music.
   

More to come later... Send me good ones you hear as well!

Generation Next -- The Workplace

Roger Terry shared this with me today.. looks like something anyone dealing with Gen X or Y should watch...

YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE: Send me your stereotypes

Queen Rania: What a wonderful example of world leadership...

Randy Pausch Lecture: Time Management

Randy Pausch gives a great follow-up talk to his "Last Seminar" talk. This time at UVA, he gives what is a wonderful talk on time-management. It is a bit long, but well worth the time. Check it out and I am sure you will get consumed by his wonderful style of telling stories while imparting wisdom.

Leading Teams - Jack Welch

If you think leading is about numbers and budgets.... take time to listen to Jack Welch... This is an must view video for anyone hoping to be successful in leading teams.