Several years ago, Cliff Hakim wrote a book that shifted my thinking titled We Are All Self-Employed. He followed it up with a book called Rethinking Work. Both of these books describe how to navigate the inevitable change that seems to be driving the demand for innovation, flexibility, and creativity. Basically, Hakim advocates taking charge of your career because …
Change Management: Can People Really Change?
For the past few months, I have been working with a large insurance company about change management. I developed monthly workshops based on The Genysys Group Change Readiness Assessment that emphasizes the leader’s role in making change and creating a culture where people want to work. The focus of each workshop is how to help leaders make changes around …
How to Nurture Passion and Why it is Important
In a recent post, I talked about the value of being passionately curious. Now I am advocating the value in staying passionate and nurturing passion regardless of age or stage of life. A few weeks ago, I attended the 2016 Sage-ing International Conference at Sunrise Ranch Conference and Retreat Center in Loveland, Colorado. There were about 300 people including some …
The Wisdom of CEOs
My favorite section of the Sunday New York Times is Business because of “The Corner Office”–a weekly interview between Adam Bryant and a CEO. In fact, I require my leadership students to read each weekly interview. My purpose is for them to listen to themes and I know they will pick up some tips because I know I learn something …
How to Be a Good Boss in Bad Times
As one of my sages said when interviewed for my book Leading with Wisdom: Sage Advice from 100 Experts: “When times are tough is not the time to get tough.”–Jim Autry, author of Love and Profit: The Art of Caring Leadership Robert Sutton, professor at Stanford, wrote a book a few years ago that I reference often: Good Boss, Bad …
How Not To Let Ego Win
The chapter in my book Leading With Wisdom: Sage Advice from 100 Experts that has received the most attention is “Leaders Don’t Let Ego Win.” I have been asked to give several keynote talks focused on this chapter. The basic message is this: The ego wants to protect us–even when we are wrong. So we need to be aware when …
Launch of New Website!
This was an exciting month as I launched my new website that I have spent many months redesigning with my website team. Thanks to those of you who sent nice emails commenting on the new site. If for some reason you did not receive my email blast, please go to JannFreed.com and check it out. It may be that you …
Why Are Leaders Not Walking The Talk?
One of my favorite parts of the Sunday New York Times is the Sunday Business section titled “Corner Office” by Adam Bryant. It is always on page two and consists of a Q and A with CEOs or senior leaders. The questions tend to focus on leadership, culture, interview questions, and advice to college graduates. Because of the content, I …
Why Life Transitions Are Difficult
As I have said before, I am on a mission to retire the word “retirement.” I remind people that we are not “retiring,” but we are moving on. Everyone will move onto something. We may be paid (encore career or second career) or we may not be paid (volunteer) or we may work part-time. But we will be doing something …
Why Vulnerability is a Leadership Strength
One of the chapters in my book, Leading with Wisdom: Sage Advice from 100 Experts, was titled “Vulnerability is a Strength.” But when the manuscript came back from the editor it was titled: “Leaders Connect with Empathy and Compassion.” Since the book is written for an audience of men and women, the editor was concerned that vulnerability would not resonate …