Leaders Edge Blog

With all of the media attention around sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my role as a father and how I raised, and continue to influence my son.

How does a dad teach his son to be a man? What does it take to become a man?

Let’s start with what it’s not about. It’s not about teaching your son to exert his size, strength, or power in an unfair way…anywhere. It’s not about being in charge or demanding respect, or being in control.

When I was

Last week while out of town on business I had the opportunity to visit a large nonprofit that is a potential client. I was invited to be a “fly on the wall” in their executive team meeting for about 90 minutes to just observe and get a feel for their culture.

As the meeting progressed it became more and more evident one of the executive team members, “Pat,” had a significant blind spot. She appeared to be oblivious to her own limitations around several issues that are greatly affecting her role

Are you weary of the endless blaming that happens in the media each day? I am! In my life I can’t remember a time when so many people in important and powerful positions of leadership regularly cast blame. The incorrect notion that “if I blame you or put you down, then I (faulty assumption) am lifted up.”

In this brief blog I’ll lay out why blaming others is always a bad strategy, and what to do about it.

If a situation, regardless of where it occurs, isn’t going well, and a person

It’s said that the devil is in the details. Well, so is success.

I wrote in my last blog that my wife, Kim, was being inducted into the Illinois State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Not only was she treated like royalty throughout the homecoming weekend, but it was a lesson in leadership as to how the event was planned and executed. Here are a few of the things I observed.

Pay attention to the little things. Communication was detailed and on time. Schedules were sent to us well in advance.

In just a few days my wife will be inducted into the athletic Hall of Fame at Illinois State University. I’m really proud of her and her accomplishments. We’ve been told that she’s the only woman in the history of the university to, not only play three sports in a year, but to be a starter in three varsity sports in each of her four years at ISU.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been talking a lot about what it was like 40 years ago to play college sports in

It’s a well-documented that prescription antidepressant and painkiller use rose 400% between the early 80’s and 2000, and then another 65% increase in the last 15 years. It’s true that some people receive great benefits from these drugs. For some it is literally life-saving. It’s also true that doctors are getting better at identifying mental illness. But a 400% + a 65% increase?

To me this is a stark reminder of how our society seeks a quick fix for most problems, and will go to great lengths to avoid emotional and

Last week my long-time friend, Don Christian, president of Concordia University Texas, was in Chicago for several meetings and we met for an early breakfast to catch up. I’ve known Don for 40 years and continue to be amazed by how genuinely curious Don is about people, business, society, and almost any topic that may lead him to some new insight. I am also struck by the contrast between what some of our modern-day society portrays as leadership versus how Don actually leads.

There’s much in society that tells us to

I’ve studied, observed and have been in leadership positions for more than 25 years. I’ve been watching our political leadership these past few months and I would have thought it was impossible to make up a scenario whereby so many basic leadership principles have been broken. The comments that follow, I genuinely hope, are based on objective observations. This has nothing to do with conservatives or liberals, or red or blue states. Here are six leadership observations:

1. Authenticity. People would rather follow someone who is real than someone who is

My son, Jeff, called me late the other evening to tell me that, Kris, his good friend for 25 years just died after a three-year battle with A.L.S. (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). To say that Kris had been “dealt a difficult hand” would be an understatement. His father died of early onset Alzheimer’s in 2006 when Kris was 19. His sister, Eliza, has down syndrome, and Kris was a fierce protector when kids would bully and make fun of her. And then Kris was diagnosed with ALS just a

Back in 2000, I attended a performance of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond. His performances were electrifying and I was amazed at how he could muster up such energy and passion eight shows a week for all those years. I saw Osmond being interviewed while in Chicago when the show reached its 4,000th performance. In the interview he said, “It might be my 4,000th show, but for the audience, it’s always their first time.” He believed in his core that he must bring his absolute best