“Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn.” ~ Burt Bacharach Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with or present in front of 1000’s of leaders. On occasion, I have been asked, What makes a great leader? What are the traits of a great leader? Can…
“Without the why, the how and the what don’t matter!” ~ Dr. Nido Qubein More than 20 years ago, before anyone started talking about the importance of having a “Why,” an incredibly wise mentor of mine, Dr Nido Qubein of High Point University, told me, “Joe if you don’t have a why, the how…
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~Willie Nelson You’ve heard the saying, “garbage in…garbage out.” When it comes to your thoughts and your words, the same principle applies. What you think determines not only what you say but more importantly, what you do. You’ve probably heard these…
“We do well to unplug regularly. Quiet time restores focus and composure.” ~Daniel Goleman At certain times in the career of a leader, you may find yourself feeling exhausted, a bit lost, a little confused, or simply stressed out. With the holidays upon us, it can either be a great time to continue to…
“To finish a work? To finish a picture? What nonsense! To finish it means to be through with it, to kill it, to rid it of its soul, to give it its final blow the coup de grace for the painter as well as for the picture.” ~Pablo Picasso Being a leader is a…
(*This is Part-2 in a 3-part series on the challenges organizations face when it comes to their Leadership Development Programs and a few ideas on how to make them even better!) “You train animals, but you educate people. Make sure you understand the difference when it comes to the investment you make in developing your…
What’s coming? Over the course of the next few weeks we will be doing a 3-part series on how to improve the overall effectiveness of your Leadership Development Programs. Today’s article will set the tone for what will follow and challenge you to take a long hard look at your current leadership development program by…
“If you are in a leadership position, any you avoid conflict, speaking the truth (facts), or giving feedback, you might want to consider a different position!” ~Joe Contrera For more than two decades I have had the privilege of helping leaders develop their leadership and coaching skills. And yet…I am still amazed at the…
“The blurring of fact and fiction has great commercial potential, which is bound to be corrupting in historical terms.” ~Antony Beevor A great mentor of mine, Dr. Nido Qubein, once shared the difference between problem solving and solution finding. He said, “Problem solving is looking at what it is while Solution Finding is looking at…
“The most difficult matter is not so much to change the world as yourself.” ~ Nelson Mandela It is amazing to me, that in this time where there are countless videos, seminars, workshops, books, and podcasts on how to be an extraordinary leader, we continue to hear story after story and see example after…