Lessons Leaders Need to Know
Critical lessons all leaders need to know.
Mark is recognized globally as an expert on leadership, customer service and organizational performance.
A member of the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame, he is the author of 8 books including the international bestseller, The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary
Into the Extraordinary.
Mark teaches his clients to BE EXTRAORDINARY™.
Live Like Your Life Depends On It
July 2008 Leadership Lessons ezine by Mark Sanborn Live Like Your Life Depends On It Life is like a bowl of soup (with apologies to Forrest Gump). Featured Blog Post (posted 07/15/08 ) Lessons Leaders Need to Know These are lessons I either learned early (thankfully) or I wish I had learned earlier (regrettably). 1. The…
Make People Mad
Good leaders make us mad. Bad leaders make us mad, too. What’s the difference? A bad leader makes us made at him or her. We get mad about how they treat us, questionable ethics, bullheadedness, going the wrong direction and a plethora of other reasons. They make us mad because they aren’t good leaders. Good…
Leaders Are Readers
You’ve heard that phrase many times. I think I first ran across it in a book by Bennis and Nanus (how’s that for two great names for co-authors?). Not only does familiarity breed contempt; it can also breed neglect. Sometimes we discount the value of an idea because it is familiar. Andrew Carnegie said, “Reading…
Attempt What Hasn’t Been Done
Tom Gray works with us on using technology strategically. We are often approached by individuals and companies that have a “new idea.” More often than not, they are using new technology in old ways. These new ideas turn out, at best, to be incremental improvements. “If I was in high school or college right now,…
50 Lessons at 50
Tomorrow I turn 50. I wanted to share some of the most important things I’ve learned – in the course of a half-century – with my sons so I started sorting, writing and editing. I’ve decided to share the results with anyone who is interested. Click here to download My 50 Best Lessons from 50 Years…
Think More
Is it possible too read too much? Yes, if reading prevents you from thinking. Passive reading can be a substitute for the harder work of thinking and learning. We fool ourselves if we think a large input of ideas will necessarily benefit us. Until we digest those ideas and ultimately apply them, then reading is…
Build on Timeless Truths
Thoureau said “Don’t read the Times; read the eternities.” He knew the value of timeless truths. (And I recognize the phrase “timeless truths” is redundant–all truths are timeless, but we need to be remnded of that sometimes). Circumstances change but truths endure. In an age of management philosophy du jour, make sure the underlying principles of…
When It is Good to be Bad
I had lunch with the mayor of a major city yesterday. He is a democrat. He is also innovative, charming and erudite. He said he targeted getting big companies into his city because he believed they could be generous donors to worthwhile causes and charities. “Mayor,” I said, “that sounds like a Republican sentiment.” “That’s…
Civility
Yesterday at Starbucks I had spread out my newspaper on the footstool in front of the comfy chair I was using. When my coffee order came up, I walked a few feet to retrieve it. A woman and her four kids piled into my chair and the chairs nearby. I walked back over kind of…