Leaders who advance to a new echelon often underestimate the challenges they are about to confront
In the U.S. military, they call them 'Mustangs' – personnel who have advanced from the enlisted ranks to positions of leadership. Some of them have gone all the way to the top, winning general's stars and recognition as history's finest leaders. The same thing can happen in the business world. Outstanding men and women, rewarded…
Make a written list, set priorities, breathe and relax, and then focus on one task at a time
I recently woke up sleepless at 2:30 am. If you’re in a leadership role in a business or even in your household, you probably know the drill. My mind was spinning with the long list of tasks I had to complete. The 75-unit project I’m working on for a client; the three people who need…
It’s time you set some goals, tracked your progress and celebrated your successes
Tim Gilbert told me it would be tough but I never realized how tough tree planting was until I stood in the bush in the middle of nowhere, bugs swarming around my head, as I was exposed to the raw elements of a northern spring. With my bag of trees strapped across my hips, shovel…
The federal election results were positive enough that he should get at least one more opportunity to run a winning campaign
The Oct. 21 federal election is barely in the history books and a fresh set of newly-sharpened political knives has already come out for Andrew Scheer. The Conservative leader’s chances of winning this election were slim at the beginning of the year. This all changed with a variety of Liberal missteps: the SNC-Lavalin controversy, the…
What makes a great leader? Great leaders are passionate, encouraging, motivating, inspiring, innovative and committed to what they do. And, when faced with a challenge, they persevere, overcoming adversity and accomplishing incredible feats. And when we think of great leaders, we often think of them sitting behind oak desks in an office tower or speaking…
I thought Justin Trudeau was largely free of his father's unattractive qualities. Or would at least hide them better. I was wrong
Some of the chatter around the federal election focused on the potential comparison between Justin Trudeau in 2019 and his father, Pierre Trudeau, in 1972. Given the circumstances – both men running to defend convincing majorities won four years earlier – it was an obvious topic. I wrote a column on it last January, specifically…
Dan Gaynor of Gaynor Consulting Inc. talks about what makes a good leader
Dan Gaynor is president of Gaynor Consulting Inc. Tell me a little bit about your business and what you do? Gaynor: My work these days is all about helping organizations develop stronger, more satisfying teams through improved leadership. I focus on sharing the timeless and practical skills I believe have always set the best leaders…
Berry picking is a lot like business: you need to to work through the thorns, avoid the bears and pick where others aren’t
I like picking berries in the summer. It’s one of those memories that lasts into the fall and winter, much like the frozen berries that are hidden in the freezer for a tasty bit of summer on a cold day. I’m not sure if I was always a good berry picker but I do remember…
We live in a world of failed and successful social experiments. Repeating patterns tend to reveal deeper truths
The great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “By seeking and blundering we learn.” How true this is. If we take the time to understand our mistakes, life is rich on so many levels. No individual is immune to error. When we examine why things didn’t work out as we hoped, can find new…
If you want to motivate people, setting a good example is a good place to start
Motivating yourself can be difficult at times, but motivating other people offers a different kind of challenge. Short of standing behind them with a pitchfork and an evil grin, or offering them a gazillion dollars, what can you do to get the best from others, be they employees or colleagues or even family (although that’s…