tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82585506733711522892009-06-10T11:37:34.764-05:00In the Leader's Journal Blog, we will explore leadership with a focus on what it means to become an internally-driven leader. You cannot master what's on the outside until you master what's on the inside. Likewise, you can't expect to lead anyone else until you have figured out how to lead yourself. Self-knowledge and mastery is essential to leadership. Leadership would be easier if there were a simple 1-2-3 step approach to it. There isn't. Leadership is less of an act and more of a journey.Bobbi Kahlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04287610172200361590noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-41493132181867963052009-06-10T11:17:00.002-05:002009-06-10T11:37:31.707-05:00

I just finished an article, "Social Capital and Intentional Change," by Melvin Smith (one of my professors at Case Western). The article discusses the role that our social networks can play in our efforts to develop ourselves.Essentially, we develop and create our "selves" through our interactions with others. We have both close and loose networks. These two types of networks each help us as they

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-75951399941742973592009-05-29T18:10:00.002-05:002009-05-31T20:37:30.687-05:00

Several months ago, I read an article in Harvard Business Review about "tough empathy." The authors claimed that tough empathy was the key to leadership. Perhaps tough empathy, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people, would be the right tool to use. However, it is just that -- a tool. Despite the plethora of articles -- and companies -- who would like to convince us that

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-79482776962422396512009-05-26T10:56:00.006-05:002009-05-29T18:09:45.579-05:00

Several months ago, I read an article in Harvard Business Review about "tough empathy." The authors claimed that tough empathy was the key to leadership. Perhaps tough empathy, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people, would be the right tool to use. However, it is just that -- a tool.Despite the plethora of articles -- and companies -- who would like to convince us that there

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-41315112590981903352009-05-06T18:18:00.003-05:002009-05-26T10:52:36.687-05:00

I read an article online by Paul Kearns the other day that said, "The purpose of leadership is to realize the maximum value of human potential." (http://www.evidence-basedmanagement.com/research_practice/articles/kearns_leadership_ebm.pdf) Too often this is dismissed as soft skills or simply being nice. It has nothing to do with being nice and there is nothing easy -- or soft -- about it.Think

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-8878700473846492832009-05-06T17:49:00.003-05:002009-05-06T18:05:17.896-05:00

To effectively lead, one must have courage, integrity, self and social awareness, empathy, discipline and principled values. In short, a leader has developed her character. No one is born with these virtues and attributes. These virtues and attributes are developed over the course of our lifetime through the experiences that we have and the meaning that we create from those

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-33834420988953910922009-01-04T15:54:00.002-06:002009-01-04T16:21:37.331-06:00

Article Reviewed/Citation:Maddi, S. (2006, July). Hardiness: The courage to grow from stresses. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 160-168.Brief summary:This article looks at the link between hardiness and coping with stress. According to the article, hardiness is characterized by as a combination of commitment, control and challenge. Commitment keeps you connected to the important events and

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-29489260143625207752008-06-29T16:10:00.003-05:002008-06-29T16:43:03.346-05:00

It was a hot summer Saturday back in 1987. I had recently been transferred to the North Rangeline (North) McDonald's Store. I was moved there because I had earned a reputation as a powerful motivator and great teacher. And, to put it simply, North needed that -- desperately. On my third Saturday there (a scorcher), we were just finishing the breakfast rush and getting ready to transition to

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-88135566125920741332008-06-25T07:51:00.003-05:002008-06-25T08:11:17.063-05:00

The older I get, the wiser my parents get. I've come to realize that my Dad was a master teacher and motivator. Whenever I had some new skill to learn or job to do, my Dad would explain it (and why it was important), he would explain the result or outcome we wanted, he would demonstrate how it was done, he would watch me as I did it, he would provide feedback on my performance, and then, when I

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-91488575222963301362008-06-23T18:54:00.002-05:002008-06-23T18:57:39.138-05:00

In the evening, I like to sit out in my backyard and read for awhile. I generally take two of my cats, Boo and Scout, with me. All is well (they love being outside!), right up until the time when it’s time for us to go in for the evening. I have to round them up. Typically this involves me chasing them or crawling around in the planting beds. Once I catch them, they growl and hiss and, in general

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-53484016132561718332008-06-17T11:04:00.003-05:002008-06-17T11:25:09.946-05:00

My mother, like most mothers, seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. She ALWAYS knew what we were up to. As we've grown up, my sisters and I have often joked about how we could never get by with anything. In April, when Mom passed away, we talked about how Mom would be always watching over us. My one sister joked, "Boy, if we thought it was tough to fool her before, now it will be

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-37411841485092010472008-06-06T18:35:00.003-05:002008-06-06T18:47:58.460-05:00

I love tennis and I've been watching the French Open. Like many tennis fans, I am truly amazed by Roger Federer and his amazing tennis talent. What I find to be perhaps even more amazing is his ability to manage his emotions. Today he played a Frenchman in the semi-finals and, not surprisingly, the crowd was behind the Frenchman. I could feel myself getting upset for Federer yet he remained

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-67216218000549443142008-05-28T08:12:00.004-05:002008-05-28T08:31:15.892-05:00

Last night, Rick and I were watching the Cubs game (Go Cubs!!). Tommy Lasorda did the 7th Inning stretch and then he spent some time in the booth with the announcers. When I saw him, I thought "Wow. He hasn't changed a bit." I had the same thought as I listened to him passionately talk about baseball. He has such an amazing feel and knowledge of the game. He understands and talks about all those

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-45443060006391793792008-05-15T08:29:00.004-05:002008-05-15T08:51:31.942-05:00

Years ago, my Dad had a favorite cat, Kitty Mow-Mow (he named it!), who was a pure black cat. She would sit out in the barn in the early morning and wait by the door for my Dad to come in. When he would come in, he would always bend down and pet her for a few minutes. One early Saturday morning, while it was still just a little dark outside, Dad walked into the barn, bent down and started petting

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-75890609258543959412008-05-13T08:46:00.002-05:002008-05-13T09:04:01.018-05:00

Fortune Magazine had their "Best Advice" issue (May 12, 2008). While there were many great pieces of advice, one really stood out for me. It was by Indra Nooyi (Chairman and CEO of Pepsi): "Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent . . . . When you assume negative intent, you're angry." This is a behavior that I need to improve on. It's so easy to see a behavior and assume the

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-75261418151249010602008-05-07T08:51:00.004-05:002008-05-07T09:44:24.892-05:00

Several years ago I read a book called In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton. It's the story of the USS Indianapolis and is a fascinating and horrifying read. One of the stories is about two survivors, McCoy and Brundige, who, along with several others, floated in a damaged life boat for over four days waiting to be rescued. As the hours went by, they watched the sharks attack others and they watched

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-27023540421222872392008-05-05T09:16:00.004-05:002008-05-05T09:39:24.252-05:00

I have been reading Who Says Elephants Can't Dance by Louis Gerstner, Jr. It's the story of how he turned IBM around. It is a fascinating book. He discusses the strategy that they used and something he said caught my eye: he said that they had to stop fighting yesterday's war, they had already lost that and it was time to move on. How many times do we do that in both our personal and

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-56608730635948217922008-05-01T08:39:00.003-05:002008-05-02T07:34:11.618-05:00

In the March 31, 2008 issue of Fortune Magazine, there is a fascinating article about Target. There is one incident, in particular, which I found intriguing. Back in 1998, Target had donated money towards the renovation of the Washington Monument. When one of the Target executives, Bob Thacker (who was then the VP of Marketing), visited the site. He found the Target logo next to some rotting

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-65515748758455308742008-04-28T11:04:00.003-05:002008-04-28T11:19:15.792-05:00

We have probably all been horrified by the U-Tube video of the cheerleader beating. I saw an interview with an expert who said that this is a problem that psychologists are seeing more and more. People are disconnected with reality. It's not that they are mentally ill; it's just that they see themselves as actors in some movie, not as real people in their own lives. This ties back to one of

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-24740095735255332712008-04-22T08:47:00.003-05:002008-04-22T09:08:29.527-05:00

I read an article in Fortune (March 31, 2008) regarding Eliot Spitzer. The author talked about Spitzer's complete lack of self-restraint, his temper, and his "schoolyard behavior." As I read the article, I couldn't help but think that here is a guy that clearly had the IQ to be successful, but what he lacked -- and what contributed to his demise -- was Emotional Intelligence (EQ). He had no idea

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-17426629733522642902008-04-22T08:37:00.003-05:002008-04-22T08:46:19.848-05:00

I am a volunteer coach in a wonderful program for young girls called Girls on the Run. It teaches girls about running, healthy diet and lifestyle, self-esteem and leadership. I have noticed something interesting with the girls. There are about three girls who run significantly faster and farther than the other girls. They are very diligent and serious about their running. Near the end of the

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8258550673371152289.post-85618723875940089172008-04-15T18:00:00.001-05:002008-06-02T09:31:26.414-05:00

I was out for a walk yesterday, pondering a difficult situation. I thought to myself how it seemed so difficult to come up with the answer. After taking a few more steps, it occurred to me that finding the answer wasn't difficult: the answer was right in front of me. What was difficult was acting on and executing the solution. How many times do we keep looking for "the" solution simply because we

Bobbinoreply@blogger.com0