More than a decade ago, as H. James Wilson writes in the Harvard Business Review, Daniel Goleman found that "nearly 90% of the difference between outstanding and average leaders is attributable to emotional factors, not intellectual acumen." And yet, there’s still very little value (by value, I mean investment) placed on developing these skills, most often bucketed as emotional intelligence (EQ). We could go down the…
Many believe executive presence or charisma is one of those mysterious aspects of leadership you’re either born with or you’re not. Some think it’s the personality that comes with being an extrovert. I don't agree with either of these viewpoints. Executive presence is how you manage your assertiveness and diplomacy in professional situations. It requires intention and practice. Like leadership itself, your DNA may…
In my work with CEOs I've noticed a clear behavior that elevates the best ones: conviction, knowing what you stand for and demonstrating that every day. The concept is simple, but to act it is not. On a rainy night at O’Hare International Airport, I faced the choice of owning my own conviction in a small but powerful way. That night, no planes were landing or…
