Purpose determines the impact

Great businesses are measured by their leaders’ purposes in terms of their clarity and consistency. It is the leader’s purpose that draws the big picture for the whole business, its broader contribution, and its final impact. This is the core of leadership. If the impact is positive, the business purpose is sound, if it is […]

Culture is by design not by default.

Most leaders treat their cultures as a by-product. Employees and customers often describe or talk about a great experience which they had with this company or that company. Culture is a brand. Leaders must fixate their sights on thoughtfully designing their organizational culture to be the brand that truly reflects what they stand for and […]

Trust is not a training program

When trust is low, time is wasted with people second-guessing, doubting, and investigating each other to stay safe. They double-check and micromanage everything. Companies that make money an empowering vision, competition, greed, and selfishness govern people’s behavior; therefore, playing the cooperative game is impossible. Trust is the denominator that brings people together to make something […]

True leaders eliminate corporate jargon

The industrial approach which has heavily dominated companies since the 17th and 18th centuries is still prevalent. Although the name changed from industrial to corporate, this type of communication springs from the mindset of managers and is cherished daily in their communication. True leaders strive to humanize the dehumanizing corporate communication Touching the lives of […]

Leaders attract believers, not skeptics

Let us consider this example below of an advertised job opportunity for the position of priest in the Catholic Church to examine how attracting the people who share the same ideology and belief is critical in attracting the right people. POSITION SUMMARY: A Roman Catholic priest is needed to coordinate and participate in Roman Catholic […]

Mentors not managers are needed

Since most hiring in companies is managerially done. Managerially means the recruitment drive is done by managers and the assessment is based on skills and technical competencies only. The result is that managers hire future managers. The result is a very committed managerial organization that is hard to shift to a leaderly position. When leadership […]

Culture and leadership are inextricably linked

A company is just a group of people. Businesses are not made up of structure and policies; they are made up of people. The true concept of culture is hugely misunderstood, and most people, including business consultants, senior managers and leaders, do not know the true meaning. They always grapple with explaining the core of […]

Standing for something

It means you have to say no to a lot of things. It limits your options and focuses your choices. Standing for something makes you visible and vulnerable. You will be challenged on what you believe. You will be criticized. How must does it cost to stand for something? A lot. Standing firmly for something […]

The power of shared beliefs

Have you ever asked yourself why armies are vastly cooperative groups? Why are religious groups so coherent? Why are gangs so well organized? The answer lies in the beliefs and ideologies that people share. Ideological beliefs (i.e., culture) are what reduce conflicts of interests among the same group of individuals. The more you share the […]