Remember that scene in Rocky IV, where Rocky battles Russian boxer Ivan Drago in Moscow, and the Russian crowd begins to cheer for the American? When I first saw the movie in 1985, right before Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms, I thought, … Read More
There I was, presenting to a group of young managers. I had the data, the experience, and the forum to make my points about customer satisfaction. And as I looked out at my audience, I noticed … Well, mostly I saw that they … Read More
He was an ambitious leader. Dedicated, bright respected – but his career was stalled in middle management. During World War I, he watched as colleagues grabbed the coveted assignments. While other officers led troops in combat, he remained in the States to run a training … Read More
I’ve been working in the diamond mines. Well, OK, not literally – and, uh, I’ve got the biceps to prove it. But in a sense I have been, because when you coach someone, you’re helping them mine for the diamonds … Read More
“Don’t be a super claims rep.” Back when I was on the leadership development team at Farmers Insurance, we gave this advice to new supervisors. As I’ve moved on in my career, I’m amazed at how this rings true in … Read More
I once thought Winston Churchill was the most inspiring politician of the 20th Century. No longer. Nothing against Churchill. He was a leader for the ages. It’s just that I learned Churchill had his own “go to” guy for inspiration – a man … Read More