Please join me in welcoming two guest bloggers, Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel. Kevin is a leading authority on leadership and has twice been named by Inc.com as one of the top 100 Leadership/Management Experts in the World. Wayne is the co-founder of the Remote Leadership Institute and author of several books that demystify communicating [...]
It happens all the time. I introduce myself in a social setting and share my name. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Unfortunately, no. Here’s how the exchange usually goes: "Hi, I’m Sara Canaday.” “Sara Kennedy?” “It’s Canaday with a C.” “Are you from Canada?” (usually accompanied by a chuckle and a wink) “Well, no. But it’s [...]
We can make every effort to be objective, rational, and open-minded when making decisions or contemplating new ideas, but there are several roadblocks that may get in the way. The first one is cognitive bias. We simply can’t escape its effects. I’ll give you an example. You’re presented with a new business opportunity. Naturally, you’ll [...]
Every day we generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. This information has led to some tremendous breakthroughs with the potential to improve thousands of lives. As leaders, we also have mountains of data available to us—honestly, more than we can assimilate or make sense of. Yet huge decisions are made every day based solely on [...]
Leadership is experiencing a metamorphosis today. Its tried-and-true competencies are being tested (and sometimes even crushed) in our chaotic, always-on, hyper-connected, and competitive world. Conventional wisdom simply doesn’t have the same impact in the context of this new business environment. In writing a new book called, Leadership Unchained: Defy Conventional Wisdom for Breakthrough Performance, I [...]
I've noticed something lately during my time on the yoga mat. My yoga practice isn’t just enhancing my mental and physical health; it’s also highlighted some interesting parallels that map to essential leadership concepts. I suppose that makes sense, considering yoga has been a path to self-realization and enlightenment for thousands of years. A yoga [...]
Today, technology has seeped into every crevice of our organizations, from manufacturing, operations, marketing, and beyond. That explains why technical professionals play such an essential role in their companies’ success. While some tech experts prefer to continue as strong individual contributors or follow the domain expertise path, others will be recognized for their outstanding value [...]
In every organization, we can spot those individuals with stellar performance who seem to be rocketing to the top, untouched by the usual obstacles and bureaucratic red tape. But, take it from me, things aren’t always as they seem from the outside. I’ve spent twenty years working with these high achievers and success-oriented individuals, and [...]
Many leaders experience setbacks—or even failures. Perhaps they feel like their influence is waning. Their ideas aren’t translating, or their teams aren’t producing at the right level. These leaders might be doing all the right things, but their effectiveness seems diluted. Ever had that feeling? If so, the problem could be leadership blind spots. These [...]
Just because you have a management title doesn’t automatically mean you’re a great leader. But making that sometimes-subtle shift is essential for the success of your career and your organization. There’s a lot at stake. So what’s the real difference between management and leadership? Effective managers are task-focused and might be described as dependable and [...]