Posts by Webby Maestro
Seeking Real Leaders (CEOs) Desiring Brobdingnagian Awareness
Brobdingnagian is Vast, Huge, Big, Immense, Mammoth… The CEO superpower we all want in our arsenal? Mega self-awareness. Why? This is the basis for solid decision making. The best decisions rarely come from the CEO pondering in deep isolation. High-quality decisions and decision-making excellence happen when CEOs: …learn from and draw on the experiences of others. In…
Read MoreThe Essential Traits of Effective Leaders? Predicting CEO Success…
We know from Daniel Coleman in the HBR article – What Makes a Leader – that effective leaders are distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence in five areas: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. Coleman’s findings are based on research at nearly 200 large, global companies. We know from the McKinsey article – Decoding Leadership: What really matters – that the secret…
Read MoreA Memory Triggered by Nelson Mandela…
This quote takes me back to my first leadership position: A leader … is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind. –Nelson Mandela I came to Seattle as a young newly appointed…
Read MoreCEO Snack: Value of Outside Peers…
Make sure to keep your energy up today. Here are a couple snacks to chew on: 9 Reach out for support. It’s lonely at the top and having a couple trusted advisors or peers outside your company who you can run things by will help you learn new tricks, see things from different perspectives and avoid costly…
Read More“Why” am I a Vistage Chair in Seattle?
Are you about having conversations that matter? Are you the president, CEO, founder, owner, managing partner or general manager (chief executive) Are you P&L responsible and the final decision-maker? If so, we should talk. “To overcome the isolation at the top, CEOs need to find people they can trust who can hold up the mirror to them.…
Read MoreA Real Leader Creates Another World For You…
When my former company, LexBlog, was planning to make some major platform updates by early 2015, we knew we’d need help if we hoped to maintain business as usual. To the rescue, Joshua Lynch, LexBlog’s Director of Product Development. He researched and discovered Chris Murray and his team of WordPress experts at Oomph. I insisted we visit Oomph’s Boston office before getting started.…
Read MoreGoogle Nipping At Your Heels? Try Being More “Responsive”
Did you know that mobile overtook “fixed Internet access” last year? “So what?” Really, you’re saying, “So what?” Well, unless “…you’re Chuck McGill or you solely serve neo-Luddite technophobes who curmudgeonly resist the coming Singularity, you need to make your [blog and] website mobile-friendly.” That’s your digital universe shaking. Feel that dog nipping at your heels? Pause. Breathe deep. Ouch! I know,…
Read MoreBlog For Someone, Not About Something…
When I start a blog post, I do so with a specific person in mind. I think about that one reader that I know will read my blog post. Thinking about and connecting with just one reader helps me build momentum as a writer. I often end up with a solid draft post. At that point,…
Read MoreNew Leader? Be Smart About Your “Transition to Impact”
I had my head down developing international business opportunities for Mitsubishi International Corporation. I was in London meeting with my Tokyo counterpart assessing a virtual reality gaming company. After a long day, we needed some dinner. Over drinks, he shared some unexpected news. He was leaving Mitsubishi after 20 years to help diversify a smaller Japanese company. Part of…
Read MoreWhat Bevy of Behaviors Makes You A Strong Leader?
Why is leadership so damn elusive? In my first leadership stint, I didn’t hit my stride. I left a lot of potential on the floor. I needed some time to wash off the negative experiences–many of my own making. I lacked the confidence to lead even though as a young man I was leading martial…
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