When I took a speech class in college, I learned a new word that I loved to say: extemporaneous. I loved to say it, and what it meant scared me to death. To be extemporaneous means to ad lib - to speak (and presumably, to speak intelligently) without a chance to prepare, at the drop of a hat. Another Merriam-Webster definition says "happening suddenly and often unexpectedly and usually without … [Read more...]
Good to Great & The Introvert Entrepreneur: The Hedgehog Concept
Fourth in a series of posts relating the findings and concepts of “Good to Great” to The Introvert Entrepreneur. The fifth chapter in Good to Greatopens with a story of the fox and the hedgehog. The fox is quick and cunning, moving from place to place with seemingly little foresight. The hedgehog, in contrast, is slow and pokey, “minding his own business.” The hedgehog consistently outsmarts the … [Read more...]
The Introvert Entrepreneur & Good to Great: Facts & Faith
Of all of the principles outlined in "Good to Great," the one presented in chapter 4 presents the biggest potential challenge. It’s probably where companies – and entrepreneurs – either make it or break it. Collins’ research found that good-to-great companies were able to confront the brutal facts while keeping the faith that they would not only survive, but prevail (he calls this the “Stockdale … [Read more...]
The Introvert Entrepreneur & Good To Great: First Who, Then What
This is the second in a series of posts focused on relating the findings of Jim Collins' "Good to Great" to entrepreneurship. After Level 5 Leadership, the second trait of Good to Great companies that Jim Collins discovered was the ability to bring the right people “on the bus,” without necessarily being clear on which direction the bus(iness) was headed. In the corporate arena, the people he’s … [Read more...]
Leadership & Animal Wisdom with Rachel Dexheimer
There is an emerging field called Biomimicry, which is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. The central premise is that nature, which is imaginative by necessity, has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the skillful engineers. They have found what … [Read more...]
The Introvert Entrepreneur & Good to Great: Level 5
It's been almost 10 years since Jim Collins published his almost instant classic, "Good to Great." I read it very soon after it was published, when I was working in a very large organization. Certainly Collins' research applied to a mainstream work environment; my question now, nine years later, is how does it apply to the entrepreneur or solopreneur? I'm going to spend the next few weeks … [Read more...]
Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It
How often do you find yourself not really seeing other people? In the marvelous book, Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box (Arbinger Institute), the authors contrast leadership behaviors and attitudes that are "inside the box" or "outside the box." To view people or situations from “inside the box” means that I am choosing to see them apart from me as objects and almost … [Read more...]
Leadership Coaching Gordon Brown
Two great synchronicities have happened in the past week: I refined my niche of life and leadership coaching for introverts, and a drama played out on the world stage with Gordon Brown, introvert. Those two things combined connected me with a reporter who writes for The Coaching Commons. He asked me to provide thoughts for an article, which I did. I'm pleased to share the resulting story here, … [Read more...]
The Introvert Entrepreneur
Are you challenged by trying to navigate an extroverted world with an introverted heart and mind? People may think you're shy, a loner, depressed, socially challenged or just don't like to have fun. Phooey on that! You are a thoughtful, introspective person, not always understood by others. You might even think of yourself as your own best friend! You are friendly, social and often … [Read more...]