An essential element of leadership is sound decision-making. This requires thoughtfulness. Taking the time to think things through carefully. Applying intellectual rigor. Unfortunately, many of us have been taught to make decisions in an ineffective way. This is for several reasons. Reacting vs. Responding We admire decisive leaders and label leaders who seem to take too long to make a decision as indecisive and weak. We feel that strong leaders make decisions quickly. They are firm in their resolve. They understand the situation and can act with speed. This frame of mind creates a false sense ..read more

Written By Frank Sonnenberg Work isn’t just about getting a paycheck; hard work builds character, promotes dignity, and gives you control over your life. But some folks don’t see it that way. As Sam Ewing, the professional baseball player, said, “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” Some people will do anything to get out of work. Examples range from those who say a job is “beneath them,” to folks who want to start at the top without paying their dues. Some folks try to get by with sheer pe ..read more

For the past 25 years, I have been an instructor at the Securities Industry Institute hosted at the Wharton School of Business. One of the sessions I teach each year is “The Future of Business.” In that class, I conduct a thought experiment about autonomous vehicles. Here it is. Imagine an autonomous vehicle coming into an intersection. There are several people on the sidewalk and in the crosswalk. The car is going to kill someone. It might hit a tree and kill the passenger or hit someone in the intersection. How does the car decide who to kill? ***Every year, I have a student who refuses to a ..read more

The English language: a vast and vibrant tapestry of nearly 600,000 magnificent words. Slowly being strangled by a trio of dangerously overused buzzwords. Fear not, fellow wordsmiths! Today, we embark on a noble quest – a crusade to liberate your vocabulary from the shackles of “unprecedented,” “resonate,” and “synergize.” The threat is real. The very fate of the English-speaking world is at risk. But stand strong and be confident because we’re about to replace these tired tropes with a fresh arsenal of verbal weaponry. Unprecedented Highly unusual: This emphasizes that something is out ..read more

Many years ago, a friend visited me at the company I was running. As we walked around the office, I introduced him to our staff. Each took a minute or two to talk about the projects they were working on. I invited some executive team members to join us for lunch. We had a great conversation about the exciting things our business was doing. At the end of the day, before he left, my friend said, “This place is like a cult.” And I replied, “Yes, it is. It’s a cult of excellence.” He looked bewildered. “Isn’t that a little extreme?” I smiled and said, “Excellence – not perfection – there’s a big d ..read more

One of the most powerful tools in a leader’s skill set is the art of reflection. The ability to look back on past strategic decisions, understand their outcomes and use these insights to refine future strategies. Every decision, whether successful or not, holds valuable lessons. By analyzing these decisions, you gain insights into what worked, what didn’t, and why.  How to Reflect Effectively on Strategic Decisions  It is crucial to allocate time for reflection. One of the biggest downfall of many leaders is believing they’re too busy to spend time just “thinking.” Nothing could be f ..read more

Daniel Kahneman, a brilliant mind and Nobel Prize winner, passed away recently at 90. His work, especially with Amos Tversky, changed how we see decision-making. His insights are crucial for anyone leading a team or running a business. Here are what I believe were some of his most important ideas. Quick Thinking, Slow Thinking, and Getting It Right Our brains like shortcuts, called heuristics. They help us make fast decisions but can lead us astray. Kahneman pointed out a few: Availability Heuristic This heuristic involves making decisions based on the information that comes to mind most readi ..read more

It is my great honor to host these incredibly talented authors for another installment of the Leadership Development Carnival! I am truly privileged to present a collection of remarkable posts from some of the most exceptional leadership writers. My sincere thanks go to Weaving Influence and the Lead Change for organizing and curating these insightful pieces. For those new to blog development Carnivals, these are thoughtfully compiled anthologies featuring posts from various writers, organized around major themes within a particular field or topic. The posts are carefully selected and presente ..read more

As I look at the leadership landscape, I believe there are three quotients that one must have to be an effective leader. The first is IQ, and by this, I do not mean the number; I mean competence. You must be very good at what you do. The next is EQ, emotional intelligence, your ability to understand your emotions, regulate them appropriately, and show empathy. If you are highly competent but can’t get along well with others, you will not succeed in your leadership journey. However, I believe there is a new quotient that is more important than the first two—your AQ.  Adaptability Quotient ..read more

Written By Frank Sonnenberg Do you think before you make a promise to someone? What if you can’t deliver on your word? Does it really matter? The world isn’t going to come to an end, is it? Well, actually, no — but have you considered . . . Many people are pretty casual about making promises. As a result, promises are frequently made at the drop of a hat with no real intention of keeping them. “Let’s do lunch,” “I’ll call you later,” and “I’ll be there in five minutes” are all examples of throwaway promises that are frequently made but seldom kept. However, this casual attitude can have real c ..read more