While there is wide consensus that a leader's vision is key for motivating team members to support organizational change, it remains far from clear what characterizes an effective vision of change. Research finds followers often resist change because it [...]
On Sunday, August 8, 2021, a great man passed from this world. While he was widely recognized for his impact as a football coach, Bobby Bowden's spirit and influence extended far beyond a sports field. I got to know [...]
An extensive research study was undertaken to determine the relationships between leadership, culture, and organizational outcomes. Two consecutive national leadership surveys yielded data from 570 participants. The results found that performance outcomes were affected by both organizational culture and team [...]
We often think that to be successful, we need those who have experienced great success to mentor us. If we follow their path, so the thinking goes, we too will be successful. Not always. On the contrary, there are those [...]
A revealing research study was undertaken to understand the thinking process needed for leaders to formulate an effective vision. The study required participants to formulate leadership visions which were then appraised for quality, originality, elegance, perceived utility, and affective reaction [...]
There comes a time in every leader’s career that they must have that 'difficult conversation' with a team member. Most often the person the leader must speak with is under-performing or acting inappropriately. To avoid the conversation in hopes the [...]
Competent leadership has long been recognized as an important cog in the innovation machine of teams and organizations. And persuasive empirical evidence links charismatic leaders with their abilities to recruit and develop key personnel as well as increase firm performance [...]
A challenge for any leader is assembling and stimulating a team that performs efficiently and effectively to achieve a high level of success. For leaders facing this challenge, there is a proven and workable 4-step process for building high-performing teams [...]
Morale is measured in the extent an individual's needs are being met and the level of satisfaction they gain from what they do. Morale is high when there is interest in and enthusiasm for the job one does. Morale is [...]
In any successful organization, certain decisions are best made by teams--especially when those teams must take responsibility for and act on those decisions. An interesting study analyzed how team members’ attitudes and perceptions developed before and during team decision-making. The [...]
Few would argue against these being challenging times. Almost all of us--either individually or collectively--are staring adversity in the face daily and seeking ways to thrive in this difficult period. A 32-year longitudinal study of children from 'at risk' backgrounds [...]
Change threatens us all, especially when it occurs in organizations in which we hold valued positions. Changes to culture, structures, practices, or behaviors threaten our sense of self within the organization. Will we have a place, and if so, what [...]
Sports organizations are constantly in search of high-performing athletes who can contribute to a team's success. Predicting success in sports, however, is a daunting task. A recent study may provide some empirical evidence that high-performers or more aptly, champions, possess [...]
Those who achieve the greatest success in business, sport, or life consistently employ psychological skills and behavioral actions that optimize both focus and learning which enable them to successfully negotiate the inevitable challenges of positive growth and change. In contrast, [...]
On July 2, 1996 lighting ignited a small fire about 7 miles from Glenwood Springs, Colorado. It smoldered and grew slowly in the remote, mountainous location. By July 5th, however, residents detected the now rapidly growing fire and firefighters were [...]