Characteristics Of A Great Vision Statement

Follow this advice, from the authors (Ron Ricci and Carl Wiese) of the, Collaboration Imperative, book for how to create a great vision statement for your team (or company):

A vivid, idealized and memorable description of a desired outcome.
Inspiring, energizing and helpful in creating a mental picture of your target.
Based on an “outside-in” perspective—focused on evolving customer needs rather than an insular, status quo mentality.
An enduring idea that galvanizes people to get behind something.
Compatible with the team’s agreed-upon goals and direction.
Something that every team member should be able to recite.
Broad enough to be meaningful for the entire duration of the team’s existence.

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Best New Leadership Book Of 2025

Each year, after reviewing dozens of books about leadership, management, business and life skills, I select my pick for the best new leadership book of the year. During 2025, I reviewed on this blog 48 books, and I choose Radical Listening: The Art Of True Connection as the best new leadership book of 2025. To be an excellent leader you need to be an exceptional listener. Sadly, too many business leaders don't listen well or don't listen to a broad enough range of their employees. This great book will help leaders become better listeners – radical listeners. “For leaders, radical listening must start at the top of an organization,” state the authors Prof. Christian Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener . “Unless there is a clear and sustained commitment to radical listening from leaders, others are less likely to be fully engaged with the idea. This is, of course, easier said than done.” “Most leaders woul...

The Many Times You Should Thank Customers

In your leadership role, it's vital that your team members know how to deliver excellent customer service. " Knock Your Socks Off " type service as book editor Ann Thomas and Jill Applegate would say. Part of delivering excellent customer service is saying "Thank You" to your customers and knowing when to say "Thank You". Thomas and Applegate recommend telling your customers "Thank You" during at least these nine situations : When they do business with you...every time. When they compliment you (or your company) When they offer you comments or suggestions When they try one of your new products or services When they recommend you to a friend When they are patient...and even when they are not so patient When they help you to serve them better When they complain to you When they make you smile You and your team members can say "Thank You" : Verbally In writing (and don't underestimate the power of perso...

The Benefits Of When Everyone Leads

It’s only January and the new book, When Everyone Leads , could likely be my pick for the best new leadership book of 2023. It’s that good. There’s still nearly a whole year ahead of us so we’ll see what other books debut. In the meantime, add this book to your must-read list. You’ll learn that: Leadership is an activity, not a position. Leadership is mobilizing others to make progress on the most important challenges. Leadership is interactive, risky and experimental. Leadership comes in moments. Leadership is always about change. When Everyone Leads , by Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride , presents a revolutionary approach to leadership; not based on position or authority, but an activity that anybody can undertake by learning to spot opportunities for improvement and taking the initiative to engage others. “It can be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but in a culture where everyone leads, organizations start to make progress on their most difficult proble...

Paul Smith Teaches You How To Sell With A Story

This is a great week. Because, Thursday, September 8 brings the official release of Paul Smith 's new book, Sell with a Story: How to Capture Attention, Build Trust, and Close the Sale . I'm a big fan of Paul's earlier best-sellers, including Lead with a Story and Parenting with a Story . And, the newest installment in the series is equally good, informative, practical and actionable. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with procurement managers, Paul teaches you how to : Select the right story Craft a compelling and memorable narrative Incorporate challenge, conflict, and resolution Use stories to introduce yourself, build rapport, address objections, add value, bring data to life, and create a sense of urgency Storytelling definitely works in sales, explains Paul, "because a great story changes everything. It causes buyers to put down their defenses. It helps them relax. It engages their minds and their hearts by appealing to both their intellect and ...

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

Brian Tracy's Unlimited Sales Success Book Is Worth Reading Twice

Read Brain Tracy 's new book, Unlimited Sales Success , twice! First, to cherry-pick and quickly discover the solutions to your most pressing sales challenges and roadblocks. Then, from cover to cover to learn a host of new strategies and techniques to propel your sales success and results. On my first read, I devoured the sections on: The seven new realities of sales today How to truly analyze current prospects and customers so you can make the most sales in the shortest period of time How to most effectively open your first meeting with a prospect and client The keys to relationship building in sales The single most powerful question you can ask your customer What to say when your prospect complains about price Making persuasive presentations How to close a sale In my second read, I found particularly beneficial Tracy's seven steps to mental fitness , and what it takes to be an effective salesperson: Ambitious Courageous Committed t...

How Leaders Can Create A Culture Of Significance

“As we age, the instinct to matter crystallizes into the fundamental need to be seen, heard, valued, and needed,” says Zach Mercurio Ph.D., author of the book, The Power Of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create A Culture Of Significance . “The need to matter never goes away. And if our need to matter is satisfied, we flourish.” Mercurio explains that mattering is created through small, repeated interactions that ensure people feel noticed, affirmed, and needed. These three ingredients form these three leadership practices : Noticing: the practice of seeing and hearing others. Affirming: the practice of showing people how their unique gifts make a difference. Needing: the practice of showing people how they're relied on and indispensable. Part One of Mercurio’s book illuminates the what and why of mattering and offers you a self-assessment to measure your mattering skil...

How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie

Today, I welcome thought-leader Nathan Magnuson as guest blogger... Nathan writes : This is it, your first day in a formal leadership role. You’ve worked hard as an individual contributor at one or possibly several organizations. Now management has finally seen fit to promote you into a position as one of their own: a supervisor. You don’t care if your new team is only one person or ten, you’re just excited that now – finally – you will be in charge! Unfortunately the euphoria is short-lived. Almost immediately, you are not only overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a team, but you quickly find that your team members are not as experienced or adroit as you. Some aren’t even as committed. You find yourself having to repeat yourself, send their work back for corrections, and staying late to fill the gap. If something doesn’t change soon, you might just run yourself into the ground. How did something that looked so easy ...

7 Honest-Feedback-Extracting-Questions To Ask When Hiring

Awhile ago, the Harvard Business Review published some great questions that Gilt Groupe CEO Kevin Ryan asks when he is checking references. Ryan serves on the board of Yale Corporation, Human Rights Watch, and INSEAD , and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A from INSEAD. His main seven honest-feedback-extracting-questions (and follow-ups) are: Would you hire this person again? If so, why and in what capacity? If not, why not? How would you describe the candidate's ability to innovate, manage, lead, deal with ambiguity, get things done and influence others? What were some of the best things this person accomplished? What could he or she have done better? In what type of culture, environment, and role can you see this person excelling? In what type of role is he or she unlikely to be successful? Would you describe the candidate as a leader, a ...

How To Negotiate Disagreement Without Giving Up Or Giving In

In today’s age of rising division and polarization, disagreement often feels like a zero-sum game. Unable or unwilling to negotiate conflict with skill, we ignore it or avoid it for as long as possible; when we are forced to face it, we escalate everyday disagreements and temporary flare-ups as if they’re life-and-death. Neither approach addresses underlying issues, promotes stronger relationships, nor yields satisfying results. It’s no wonder we try to avoid conflict and have a challenging time finding consensus. Conflict is getting the better of us. But what if conflict could be reframed—not as an obstacle to be overcome but as an opportunity to forge stronger relationships? In the new book, Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In , two former Harvard faculty—internationally-recognized negotiator, mediator and conflict management expert Robert Bordone , a Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and leading behavi...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

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