Leading from the Front

Alexander the Great is one of my favorite historical figures. I admire Alexander, not because of his exploits and conquests, but because of his greatness in leadership. The stories of Alexander show what it takes to lead from the front. During battle, he was the first one over the wall. He would lead the way, placing himself in great peril. How inspiring is that? Yes, Alexander died at the age of 32, but in his short lifetime he conquered most of the known world and is considered one of the greatest military leaders of all time. Leading from the front has risks, but also results in extraordinary dedication and efforts, and can lead to great accomplishments.

Leadership is Needed to Solve the Debt Crisis

The national debt is a big problem, a very big problem, perhaps the greatest threat to our national well-being in many generations. The problem extends beyond the debt ceiling deadline of August 2. The S&P credit rating organization has repeatedly warned that it may downgrade U.S. debt if any deficit-reduction deal is not robust enough to change the trajectory of the country's future debt growth. A downgrade may come even if officials agree to raise the debt ceiling. Any downgrade would drive interest rates through the roof. Ask the Greeks who now must pay 26.6% interest on 2-year government bonds (the interest on 2-year U.S. bonds is 0.46%).

What is Work?

Understanding the nature of work is necessary for effective leadership. Work has changed dramatically for today's workforce due to two influences: (1) automation and (2) computer networks. Understanding this shift in the essence of work helps a leader to shape a highly creative and motivated workforce.

We are Building a Temple

The story of three stonecutters is a fine example of the power of vision. As the story goes, a traveler comes upon three stone cutters working in a quarry. He asks the first one what he is doing and the stone cutter replies “breaking rocks.” He asks the second one the same question and gets the response “doing my job, cutting stones.” Finally when asked, the third replies “I am building a temple.” Who do you think works with more passion, drive, dedication and achieves excellence?