Tag Archives: leadership

Leadership lessons from Phil Jackson and the Lakota Indians

2 Sep

ElevenRings

Unity.

How do the best leaders build it?

Break out the guitar and sing Kum-ba-yah?

Not unless you’re leading a church campfire sing-along.

In his book Eleven Rings, legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson suggests using the symbolism of the circle.

While coach of the Chicago Bulls, Jackson started each practice by gathering the players and coaches in a circle at the center of the court to discuss goals for the day. He ended practices the same way.

Jackson got the idea from the Lakota Indian warriors who always gathered in a circle because they believed it was within a circle that power flowed.

Life is a circle. The Earth is a circle. You get the idea…

Even if you’re not planning a horseback raid, try harnessing the power of the circle to build unity on your team.

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The Easiest Thing A Manager Can Do

16 Sep

I’m reading Seth Godin’s book “Tribes.”

It’s only 147 pages but it’s packed with many thought-provoking, inspiring and motivating passages on leadership. Like this one entitled: The Easiest Thing

“The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest thing is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate.”

“Reacting is intuitive and instinctive and usually dangerous. Managers react. Responding is a much better alternative.”

“Both pale in comparison to initiating. Initiating is really truly difficult, and that’s what leaders do. They see something others are ignoring and they jump on it. They cause the events that others have to react to. They make change.”

Wow. Inspiring and daunting at the same time. What do you think?

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