by Michael Holland - Two friends have recently told you that living a healthier life is very important to them. While at the grocery store, you see both friends checking out with different cashiers. One is buying nachos, French onion dip, a 12-pack of Coke, and a box of pastries. The other friend is buying fresh [...]
By Michael Holland - Having worked with hundreds and hundreds of leaders, I find so many lack focus on working to become effective at leading well. The key is micro-behaviors. Those little things that we do that have longer term ripple impacts. The gap for most leaders comes from not intentionally creating habits that enable healthy micro-behaviors [...]
by Michael Holland - What traditions have you created or enabled within your team or company? As a leader, you are in the powerful role of creating rituals, beliefs, values, and cultural norms by the ways in which you behave and enable behavior within others, both as individuals and in groups. Tradition sounds so impressive [...]
by Michael Holland - Are you using a spotlight or a floodlight when you review an employee’s performance? A spotlight is directed, tight, and narrow in its focus, able to illuminate specific targets, like an actor on a stage. A floodlight is broad, less discriminating, and wide in dispersing light to see more of what’s [...]
By Michael Holland - 15-year-old girls have perfected the art of dual communication. They nod appropriately to their parents as key parental instructions are put forth. Then in a moment the 15-year-old girl turns toward her friends and dramatically performs the full eye roll communicating her true feelings and commitment to her parents. Managers working [...]
by Michael Holland - Your role as a leader – should you choose to accept it – is to effectively lead the people asset you’ve been charged with owning. This means: You are responsible and accountable for the effectiveness and productivity of each individual person on your team, as well as the team as a [...]
By Michael Holland - While reading a biography on Albert Einstein by Walter Isaacson, I became very intrigued with how great a man Einstein was even given some of his flaws. Here are 6 ways you can learn to lead like Einstein. Dress the Part Einstein’s iconic ruffled hair and disheveled appearance fit perfectly with [...]
By Michael Holland - When a leader delegates he can picture very clearly what it is he wants done. So he believes that he is communicating clearly to his employee. But there’s a villain of natural psychology that limits our capability to communicate clearly and that villain is the curse of knowledge*. The curse of [...]
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 - When a leader holds onto a project or work that could be delegated, is he being selfless or selfish? Is he supporting and protecting his employees or is he limiting their growth potential? Is he making sure things are done right or is he limiting the opportunities for innovation in work product [...]
