- Project Manager in Oil and Gas Industry
What if we did not allow early failure to become enduring failure? We all try. But do we try long enough? Do we persevere?
What makes some persevere and others quit? For a lot of us, it is the habit of making excuses. The willingness to make excuses stops many people from going past Plan A or Plan B.
Too often, once we have tried Plan A or Plan B that seems good enough. What about Plan C, D, E, F, G…?
Ownership or excuses. One is the mark of a leader. The other is a sign that I am bound for mediocrity and failure. In the long run, people who make excuses stall out.
Making excuses is a habit. I wrote about how West Point deals with this habit in West Point: How Leaders Seize Accountability. But what are the results for me if I habitually make excuses?
Lying, cheating, and cowardice, are all habits that can become addictions in the same way smoking, drinking, pornography and drugs can become addictions.
I have often used the latter to explain how our character habits are formed. But last week I heard Pete Hinojosa (www.petehinojosa.com) speak on leading and coaching people. As he discussed a leader’s role in affecting the beliefs of his people he defined addiction:
An addiction is a compulsive belief or behavior that brings short-term benefit but creates long-term problems. Continue Reading…
Looking back, the eye rolling was inevitable. Everyone on the leadership team knew the idea was unlikely to work.
Our boss had sparked the doubts. “We need to initiate a mentoring program. The Human Resources department can work on developing a program we can roll out in the fourth quarter.”
We were all thinking one thing: “Oh no. Another program.” Continue Reading…
“Why should I do that?” she asked.
“It’s called leadership.” I said trying to reassure her. “It’s what leaders do.”
Webster defines leadership. College textbooks define leadership. Leadership books define leadership. I even define leadership. (Leadership: Beyond the Dictionary Definition)
Sometimes those definitions are adequate and sometimes they are not. Some are very academic, some are theoretical and some are practical. But what does leadership look like? Is there a list of actions that illustrate leadership?
There is now! Continue Reading…
“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There is plenty of movement but you never know if it is going forward, backward or sideways.”
-H. Jackson Brown
Me: “Hey Laura. How are things going?”
Laura: “It’s been a busy week Dave. I’ve been running non-stop since Monday.”
I always want to surround myself with talented high-energy people. These people energize me. But, they can also wear me out. Why? Because many believe that doing a lot of STUFF makes a difference.
It had been almost five years since I had seen my West Point classmate. I always enjoyed seeing him. We have a common bond all academy graduates have. But, after our first hour together, he said something that rocked my world.
I smiled and secretly hoped he was talking about my pant size.
I’ve been meaning to write this blog for a while…. (See what I did there?)
I am a world-class procrastinator. I have years of experience under my belt in putting off things I do not like doing. I have also spent a lot of time trying find ways to stop procrastinating.
I have read books. I have bought planners. I have hired people who I ask to remind me to do things. All of these have helped. But, I now realize I will never be rid of this trait. Procrastination will always be there. Continue Reading…
In May, I had the opportunity to speak to 600+ people at the Chick Fil A Leadercast that was simulcasted into our local venue. A big thrill was following John Maxwell. I also spoke right before Coach K!
Here is the video of that presentation. The character tests cadets face at West Point builds leaders. That is the premise of this talk.
What character tests have prepared you for leadership?
He was more amped up then a Chihuahua after a can of Red Bull. Here was my peer yelling at me because some people were sitting in the wrong area of a conference room during a sales meeting.
When I told him we could “make it work as is”, he said “Well I am glad you can be so flip about this Dave!”
Some people do not react well to stress. In fact some people create their own stress and then don’t react to it well. On the other hand, other people never seem flustered by the most stressful circumstances. What do the calm have that the amped up Chihuahua does not?
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