By Michael Holland - Recently we had a large tree fall in woods behind our house. It’s huge and I wondered how could this tree fall when others around it were fine. Some leaders are like strong trees with deep healthy root systems. They had nutrient rich soils that helped promote growth. They had their [...]
By Michael Holland - Recently I saw a commercial where a young couple throws a dart at a map and then take off for their weekend adventure to wherever the dart landed. How spontaneous and fun. Your employees are hoping you’re less adventurous. In the rush of work and the ever-changing whims of senior leadership, [...]
By Michael Holland - Recently I was watching one of those home remodeling shows and the host was showing off the before and after shots of wood trim in a house. To do it right, they had to put in a lot of work to strip down the layers of paint that had been applied [...]
By Micheal Holland - Young leaders want to grow quickly to become effective managers and business leaders and while companies like to leverage these resources as soon as possible, a concerted effort to invest in building these leaders would be more appropriate. Young leaders desperately need to learn the craft of management and the art [...]
by Michael Holland - Chris Rock is renowned for his comedy. He walks effortlessly through his acts, entertaining tens of thousands of fans, and while his humor is definitely well-known, the way that he creates his comedic routines is a little more obscure. Chris works a methodology that forces him to go on little-known stages [...]
by Michael Holland - Do you have legitimate authority? What a great question. Malcolm Gladwell in his intriguing book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, brings us perspective that we should know—or may already know—but that we often overlook. This perspective is contained in a principle of legitimacy and helps us [...]
By Michael Holland - The power of our brain to create and execute habits can be extremely beneficial or detrimental. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between the habit to walk (think about it) and the habit to grab that unhealthy snack every night. The brain simply recognizes something being performed several times and creates [...]
by Michael Holland - Managing employees is a lot like raising kids, and someone has to be the adult in the room. Best bet is you’re being paid to be that person. Employees and kids need the following: Boundaries of appropriate performance and behavior Guiding advice and latitude to make character-building mistakes Care and feeding [...]
by Michael Holland - A toddler is amazed by the sound of their voice echoing off the walls of a large, empty room. I’m amazed by the echo heard down a valley from a high cliff. The sound reverberates, seeming to go on forever. The leadership voice of a good leader is heard in the [...]
By Michael Holland - Adolf Hitler has a legacy. He left a rippling wake from his leadership. As soon as you saw that name you had an immediate reaction to the legacy he has left and understandably a very negative reaction. Now consider Abraham Lincoln who also has a legacy. He left a rippling wake [...]
