We’re about 50 percent short of our goal, Dad.” My oldest daughter, Megan, had just called to brief me on our recent new membership campaign for Platform University. It was day four of an eight-day promotion. My heart sank. I don’t like missing goals. Our campaign target was to add one thousand new members to […]

The foundation of effective leadership is character. Nothing else has more impact. Nothing else has greater reach. And nothing else can make up for its lack—not education, experience, talent, or contacts. Every now and then you hear a story about someone’s character that brings this principle into sharp focus. Gail and had this experience when […]

Today is Valentine’s Day. At the Hyatt household it is the third most important holiday of the year, right after Easter and Christmas. When our five daughters were at home, Gail always made a big deal out of it. We ate breakfast on special valentine plates, and exchanged candy and cards.

Over the last few months, I have had three young leaders come to me for advice on hiring and firing. In each case, they had made a big mistake in recruiting the wrong person. They were trying to remedy the situation and avoid it happening again. I have made my share of hiring mistakes, too. […]

Several years ago, when I was the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, I was presiding over our monthly business review meeting. One by one, each of our divisional managers would appear before the executive team and review their operating results for the previous month. At the first break, one of my business consultants who was […]

Maybe your boss is a jerk. Maybe he is just incompetent. Regardless, few of us get to work for great leaders. Here are five ways to cope.

Human beings are notoriously bad at making decisions. In their new book, Decisive, bestselling authors, Chip Heath and Dan Heath offer a four-step process for making better decisions. I am also giving away 50 copies.

There’s more to coaching than sharing your expertise. The way you communicate that expertise is as important as the knowledge itself. Years ago I went golfing with my friend and colleague, Dr. Victor Oliver. I had played quite a bit as a teenager, but had set aside my clubs when I became an adult. At […]

Nine years ago, Mark Sanborn published Fred, a book about a postman and the extraordinary service he provided. The book was wildly successful, landing on all the bestseller lists and inspiring millions around the world, including companies, schools, and entire cities. Now Mark has published an all-new book on the same topic. It is called […]

Do you have a long-term delegation strategy? This is the secret to moving more into “the zone” and getting out of those activities you don’t enjoy or don’t do well. Recently, I recorded two podcasts on the subject of delegation. The first dealt with the principles of delegation. The second suggested how you might delegate […]

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the willingness to act in spite of my fear. Here’s how I learned this invaluable lesson.

Conflict is inevitable, but fallout from that conflict can be avoided. In this guest post, Lawrence Wilson six ways for doing so.

One of your primary roles as a leader is to inspire your people. This won’t happen by accident. You must be intentional. Here are four ways you can keep it alive.

Think you’re not a leader? Think again. According to guest poster Tammy Helfrich, everyone is a leader, including you. Here are five ways to embrace it.

As leaders, we have an impact on others—whether we realize it or not. But that impact is a double-edged sword. It cuts both ways. It is either positive or negative. It is rarely neutral.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

You can’t always choose what happens to you. Accidents and tragedies happen. But you can choose how you respond to those situations. One of the best ways to begin is to ask yourself the right questions.

When I talk to other leaders about hiring a virtual assistant, they are often skeptical. Here are my answers to the most common objections.

If you find yourself working for a micromanager, here are three actions you can take to get him or her off your back.

The best decisions often don’t come out of two choices, but out of a better, third one. In this guest post, Jeremy Statton explains how to find it.

As a leader, it is easy to get sucked into high maintenance relationships. When this happens, you and your organization suffer. Here’s how to avoid this common pitfall.

If you are out to accomplish something significant, you are going to be spending a lot of time outside your comfort zone. Here are seven ways to maximize the experience.