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The Tiger and the Strawberry Revisited: The Rapture of Being Alive leadership: managing yourself

It seems hard to believe, but one of the best selling Zen books for all time, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, was published over 50 years ago.  

There is a chapter on Excitement, where Suzuki...

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Emotional Roadwork leadership: managing yourself

Roadwork has long been a conditioning strategy used by boxers to fuel recovery and build an aerobic base onto which more interval and high intensity work could be layered.  Despite the...

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It's Still a Tiger leadership: managing yourself

Most are familiar with the tragic story of the devastating onstage attack by a tiger during a Siegfried & Roy show at the Mirage in Las Vegas.  The attack left Roy crippled for the rest...

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Presenting to an Egomaniac? Get Your Head Right First leadership: managing yourself

You are dreading an upcoming presentation to senior leaders, or the C-Staff, or the Board. You are dreading it because at least one person has a rep as a egomaniac. Sotto voce: you might...

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Authentic Leadership and the Nose-of-the-Camel leadership: managing yourself

One night long ago, a camel was freezing in the cold desert. He asked his master if he could just put his nose inside the tent for a bit of warmth. The master thought there would be no harm in that...

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"The Facilitator" is Not HR. It's Not Even a Single Person. It's a Role. culture leadership: managing yourself the "me" in meetings

Meetings are often more effective when there is a skilled facilitator present to keep things on track, holdup the mirror, create a safe space, etc.

Unfortunately, few meetings have one.

Many have a...

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Messages from...not Beyond, but Near...the Grave first 100 days / career leadership: managing yourself

I recently wrote about an experience with my 98-year old mother that touched me deeply.

I know how lucky I am to have had her for so long. She has been a teacher and a role model for me...

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How to *Be* a Coach: Lessons Learned from the Late Richard Levi leadership: managing yourself

Richard Levi had a powerful influence on me early in my coaching journey. He died recently and his passing is a loss to me and the entire coaching community he was a pillar of. These three stories...

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Seeing Beauty: A Balm for Uncertain Times. A Key to Survival. leadership: managing yourself

There is a well-known Zen story about a rather non-conventional response to impending doom.

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice,...

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The Enneagram is Dead. Long Live the Enneagram. leadership: managing yourself

his is the long version of this post complete with data, academic references, and disclaimers. The short version can be found here.

The Enneagram Personality Typing system is showing up more...

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Beware the Tides of March: Inner Work Exercises to Make More Conscious Choices leadership: managing yourself

One of my favorite Warren Buffett quotes is "Only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked."

It is of course a reference to investors who get over leveraged or are...

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Improving Leadership During Covid leadership: developing others/building teams leadership: managing yourself

When individuals, teams, and entire organizations lose their moorings, the need for focus and leadership is greater than ever.  This Covid-19 crisis is clearly one of those times.

So what can...

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