by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Oct 14, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
You can be a leader, or you can be a jerk. You can’t be both, no matter what you think, and no matter how hard you try. (note: I didn’t say you couldn’t be a “manager.” A business card doth not a leader make…)
Leadership requires vision, and the wherewithal to execute to that vision, convincing and motivating those following to do “more” (called “discretionary effort”) in support and pursuit of that leader’s vision.
Being a jerk is in direct opposition to that effort.
So, what’s a leader to do, assuming s/he wants to avoid jerkdom? This ain’t exactly rocket surgery, but here are a few tips… (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Aug 22, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Change is good.
Change is the only constant.
I like change… I’m a change agent.
Yeah, right. I’m calling bullshit. Enough already with this change-kumbaya stuff. Sometimes, change is essential for growth, for progress, hell even for organizational survival. Sometimes. (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jul 28, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Too many C-Levels spend too much time with block-and-tackling tasks and not enough time with real strategic leadership efforts. The differences are huge. And frankly, we need more leaders not do-ers.
Senior-most leadership is not for the faint at heart, nor is it a logical progression, really, from any position. There’s little specific preparation for that CEO role, only the hope that we’ve picked up some of the specific needs by observation. So, why don’t more step up to that true-leadership challenge?
The answers may surprise you… for instance: (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jul 25, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
There are many misguided leaders among us who believe that all motivation is about dollars — that if you have sufficient, budgeted dollars, you can motivate effectively; if you’re cash-poor, then suddenly you are de-motivating…and that it’s not your fault.
Absolute malarkey. BS. Balderdash. Pure unadulterated bunk. (more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jul 23, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
Headline (edited for brevity): Swiss bank UBS named Axel Weber as its next chairman in a surprise move that robbed rival Deutsche Bank of its top candidate to succeed its chief Josef Ackermann in 2013.
Make no mistake, this is Board negligence on the part of Deutsche Bank, pure and simple.
They should vote out the entire lot.
This sort of crap really ticks me off. They call it “succession planning,” and the key movement in their entire plan is based on someone with which they have zero relationship, and zero knowledge of hiring success. In fact, they were merely hoping that this über-CEO would be available whenever they beck and called.
Apparently, Weber saw it differently.
(more…)
by D. Kevin Berchelmann | Jul 22, 2011 | Executive Improvement, Kevin Berchelmann
– Gump was right, ‘stupid is as stupid does’
No question that leadership takes effort. Equally, there’s no valid question that leading has become more difficult today than just 2-5 years past (seems like an eternity ago, doesn’t it?).
Having said that, it seems some go out of their way to make things more difficult than they need be. It’s like taking the wrong way to get somewhere, all the while knowing it’s the wrong way, but still doing it anyway.
(more…)
