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When Does Being a Jerk Matter?

person David Harper
So we’re approaching the end of the year, the time when we reflect on what we’ve done during these past 330+ days and what lies ahead. If you’re a leader, you’ll likely also reflect on what your team has done during these past 330+ days and what lies ahead for them. In particular, you may ask yourself, “Do I have the team needed to accomplish our 2019 objectives?” And so, here are 3 quick questions…

Does Your Manager’s Shadow Conceal You?

person David Harper
  Congratulations!  You have a very successful career, received promotions and pay increases along the way, and better still, your manager thinks you’re a rock star. Life.  Couldn’t.  Be.  Better. When you ask your manager for feedback on how you’re doing she says, “Great.  Keep it up.”  You’re thrilled. You meet with your manager on a regular basis.  He’s certainly no absentee manager.  You meet your manager’s expectations.  You get your…

Final Component to Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate

person David Harper
  In the first installment of this three-part series, we discussed mastering the allocation of your time.  Effective leaders know the difference between what’s urgent and what’s important, and they ensure they spend proper time on what’s important, particularly on what’s important but not urgent; they avoid being consumed by what’s only urgent. In the second installment, we discussed mastering your strategic focus.  Effective leaders know what their strategic focus is, and they protect their…

Part 2 of Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate

person David Harper
  In the previous installment of Mastering the Leader’s Triumvirate, we discussed the first requirement: mastering the allocation of your time.  If you’re fortunate to have lived thus far, you’re fortunate to have been given a resource you never had to pay for, and yet is so readily squandered. We each have the same 168 hours per week to spend.  How we do so will be different. How a leader spends his/her time…

Do You Master the Leader’s Triumvirate?

person David Harper
  To succeed as a leader, you must master the Leader’s Triumvirate. What’s a triumvirate? A triumvirate is a group of 3 people who agree to work together to advance their shared interests and influence.  One of the most famous was the Roman triumvirate of Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus (“Pompey the Great”), and Marcus Crassus during the first century BCE. Crassus would die in 53 BCE.  Julius Caesar and Pompey would…

Do You Confuse Perception & Reality?

person David Harper
So which do you see?  Two faces or a vase?  If you said, “I see a candlestick holder”, okay, you still get a point. If I asked you, “Which is more correct?  The two faces or the vase?  Which is more real?”, you’d say something like, “Don’t be foolish, Dave.  It’s both.  I see the two faces and I see the vase.  They’re both real.” So why is it when leaders receive feedback…

You’re Not Alone: Everyone Fakes It Sometimes.

person David Harper
Congratulations!  You got that promotion!! That job you had your eyes on for so long is finally yours.  What a rush!  Your partner/spouse is thrilled!  Your parents are thrilled!  Even the dog seems happier to see you when you come home.  Life. just. couldn’t. get. any. better. So why do you feel so much like a fraud? And why are you worried people will find out you don’t quite know what you’re doing? Answer #1:…

Frankly, Why Do You Even Think You’re Right?

person David Harper
We recently replaced a 13-year-old dryer: it took 2 1/2 hours to dry a regular load of clothes.  The only problem was, the newly acquired dryer took just as long.  The manufacturer sent out a technician to investigate, and he solved the matter in minutes.  After a few questions, he confirmed there was heat in the dryer, and then went outside to check the venting.  “Your dryer’s fine.  It’s your vent that’s…

What I Learned from Hurricane Matthew & 9/11

person David Harper
In 2001, I was in Manhattan during 9/11. Fifteen years later in 2016, I was living in Savannah (but did not stay) during Hurricane Matthew. Both were very different events, with entirely different causes, and entirely different implications and outcomes. But combined, they’ve left me with a few reflections on people, leaders, and just life in general: People In times of crisis, people come together for help, support, encouragement, and…

Does Your Leadership Influence Travel at the Speed of Light?

person David Harper
The James Webb Space Telescope In October 2018, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana.  According to NASA, “JWST will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable…
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