Zach on Leadership

As leaders, we have a lot of expectations on us. We need to be clear communicators, skilled team builders, good at finances, and inspiring speakers. That’s a lot of expectations. For those that are new at leadership, it’s impossible to become excellent in all of these areas overnight. Developing leadership skills isn’t just about learning and practice. I’ve come to believe that there is a fundamental skill that precedes all of the higher-level skills. If you have this one skill,…

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With Valentine’s Day coming up, many of us focus on celebrating the significant relationships in our lives. While a bit of stretch, I’m going to use this article to focus on the aspect of my job that I love the most: leading my team. That may seem incredibly obvious, since I’m in a leadership position, but I’ve come to believe that this passion isn’t as ubiquitous as you might think. “I wish you many employees” I don’t know the origin…

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What is the shelf-life of an organizational design? In my experience, about two years or so. Wait longer than that, and just like a loaf of bread, your organizational design will get stiff and moldy. To some, that may seem aggressive. After all, reorganizations are very disruptive, and the benefits must outweigh the costs. I’ll defend my answer, but let’s first look at the big picture. What is the purpose of an organization? Organizations exist because we believe that together,…

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In the marketplace of ideas, it’s not the best ideas that win, but the best communicated ideas that win. Looking back at my career, the big moments were often defined by big presentations. Presentations are powerful opportunities, yet few put in the work to make truly great presentations. We’re all busy, so it’s tempting to throw something together quickly or just wing it. That’s fine if isn’t particularly important, but when it counts, don’t squander the chance to make a…

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I’ve seen the picture above or a variation of it used to make many points. Some use it as a warning that if you give too much of yourself you won’t survive the loss. I’ve also seen it used to describe a mentor that has many shortcomings but gives you the piece that you are missing. Finally, I’ve seen it used to describe a father’s sacrificial love for his son. Art has a way of communicating different things to different…

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“Get out of your comfort zone.” How many times have you been given that advice? Probably a lot. I know I have. It’s good advice and I heed it often. In my personal and professional journey, I’ve learned that it’s not only good advice, but it’s a bit more dynamic than you might think. I’m going to use this article to develop the concept a bit. If we need to get out of our comfort zone, we need to define…

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2020 is behind us. The world, of course, is still full of difficulty and challenge. This week has delivered a new round of terrible chaos. Yet, I choose to focus on the positive. While much has been taken, we’ve also been given much. One of those gifts many have been given is flexible remote work. It started off as work from home. Many of us left the office in a hurry, with the thought that we might soon return. Well,…

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We live in a cynical world. A cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors. – Jerry Maguire The world of the corporate enterprise can be a cynical place. Week after week, I preach leadership. I do it for all of you, but I also do it for myself. By writing, I remind myself of the truth. Why do you and I need these constant reminders? Our world is cynical, and frankly, sometimes so are we. Cynicism is…

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This week, I’m reflecting on my career progression. I’ve been working in Information Technology for 22 years. I started off as a desktop support technician and now lead a large team as a technology executive. I’ve pondered the journey and the path I’ve taken. In those 22 years, I’ve held 13 distinct roles at 4 different companies. I’ve chronicled part of that journey in a previous blog series. In that same series, I identified 20 distinct “Rules for Advancement” that…

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Congratulations. You clicked on the link. I asked the question, “do you feel like you are failing?” For a split second, you asked yourself that question. If you made it this far, you probably answered that question with “yes,” “maybe,” or “sometimes.” Being honest with yourself is an important first step. Leadership and failure Leaders like to succeed. We like to achieve. We like to win. That gives us energy. That gets us out of bed in the morning. Failure…

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