Technical Competence is a Form of Leadership

I'm a hypocrite. In another post I talked about building technical competence before leading. Now I'm about to tell you that building technical competence is a form of leadership. Which is true? Both. Let me explain. What is leadership, really? Leadership is the ability to get

Build Technical Competence Before You Lead

Whatever you do, don’t lead too early in your career. If you try too hard, people will judge you. They wonder why you are taking so much responsibility, delegating, or giving opinions on things you know nothing about. There’s a first step before you should focus on leadership.

Use Your Worst Boss to Become a Better Leader

I've had some pretty bad bosses in my career. I'm sure you have too. Here's how you can use your worst boss to help you become a better leader. For managers Think about (and potentially write down) what you didn't like about

How to Lead When People Behave Differently

If you want to lead, you must understand the baseline behaviors of those around you. Be conscious of their emotions, interests, and problems. If you're oblivious, you won't know when someone is feeling "off". You won't be able to help them. They

Leaders are Professionals

A question from Steven Pressfield: "Do you have amateur habits or professional habits?" Hopefully the latter. If you believe that being a leader is critical to your success in work and life, you must become a professional. You must analyze your actions and be honest about what you

The 3 Steps to Overcome Any Obstacle

It is inevitable that you will face obstacles in life and work. When the confrontation comes, you have two options: To overcome or to succumb. To succumb is to be weak. To overcome is to be strong. Leaders treat obstacles as tools for improvement. Approach them appropriately and you will

How to Achieve Job Security Through Leadership

Fear of losing my job is one thing that keeps me up at night. Are you the same? There are many things we can't control in life. How do we make sure that when things go bad we aren't laid off? Or if we are, how

3 Reasons Individual Contributors Should Become People Leaders

Becoming a people leader may be the best thing you can do for your career. Individual contributors should consider the benefits that come with being a people leader. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of leading people, focus on the benefits. Being a people leader is the smart choice

How to Use the Dial of Friction to Solidify Good Habits and Break Bad Ones

Friction is a dial that moves in two directions that allows leaders to build better habits and break bad ones. Anytime you feel friction there is an opportunity to take advantage of it for the benefit of yourself and those around you. You can turn the Dial of Friction up

Leadership is Everywhere

You are a leader no matter your job title, salary, number of direct reports, or station in life. Leadership does not only apply to your job or career, it applies to life itself. Every situation, every encounter, every project opens the door to leadership. It is incumbent on us to