Print media, social media, and virtually all forms of communication advising that women need to show up differently in order to gain influence and traction may potentially be misguided.
I would suggest that although not all senior leaders aspire to the executive ranks, many do. I have spent considerable time trying to understand why this might be the case. I have worked with leaders across many different global entities.
Complacency can be the toxic undercurrent of your organization. If you are the top dog in your field you run the risk of being fat and lazy. You assume you have all the answers and you quickly take your eye off the ball. Don’t forget, your competitors who are in the number 2 and 3…
For many senior executives, acing the interview process is a slam dunk. Firms train leaders for this very purpose. Candidates for senior roles get to practice responding to the typical behavioral questions asked by employers. They are also provided with a list of “smart” questions to ask their potential employer.
A wise mentor of mine once advised that when there is major upheaval in the world, we have two choices as to how to respond.
Every organisation laments the lack of capable or qualified talent. When I chat with human resources and business leaders, they all express a collective sigh. They declare that the war on talent is very real.
Ambition takes many forms. There are productive achievers and destructive achievers. Organizations hire leaders who expect achievements to be based upon where the enterprise is required to grow.
As we enter the corporate arena we are taught to focus on execution. If we are successful, promotion entails shifting from an individual contributor role to leading and developing others.
Leaders are evaluated on many dimensions. Some of these characteristics include the ability to drive results, increase shareholder value, develop successors, create winning teams and foster an engaged culture.
We are raised to be competitive. Oh sure, we heard from our teachers, coaches and even our parents that “life is a team sport.” Aren’t we praised for being equitable and looking out for our teammates? “Taking one for the team” means putting your own personal needs aside and sacrificing your own ambition for the…
