As the elevator opened to the fourth floor of the Graves 601 Hotel, my mind spun a web of excitement, nostalgia and anxiety. Earlier that day, my wife had asked me if I was nervous about attending my 20 year high school reunion. I had told her of course not. After all, I’m comfortable with
“The longer I’m a leader, the more I’m convinced that the key to my success is discerning who to disappoint and what I can’t get done.” The executive who said this has a point. I work with someone who has the ability to disappoint people, and it’s made her extremely valuable to the company—because she
You see the giant and the shepherd in the Valley of Elah and your eye is drawn to the man with the sword and the shield and the glittering armor. But so much of what is beautiful and valuable in the world comes from the shepherd, who has more strength and purpose than we ever
I admit to feeling relieved last week after I spoke up in a meeting. I had an opinion on the topic and I wanted to add value, be a leader and improve my credibility. The dialogue moved quickly. I had to act fast, be clear and be compelling. Anxiety was building as I considered this
This week is Halloween, but last week was full of terrors both large and small: A flight crashing A client rejecting a new business presentation A run in the country cut short by the accidental shot of a hunter A late night car ride with my kids ending in a wreck A headache turning out
As the world changes more quickly and gets more competitive, and organizations restructure and retool, we work harder just to stay ahead. We get anxious and hurry, searching for the latest insights, struggling to stay relevant, fighting to protect our joy. As leaders, we feel this intense push and pull every day. And, so do
The Greek word for “anxiety” is merimnaō, which means to be divided or distracted. Leaders today face so many external and internal disruptions that anxiety, by the Greek definition, is nearly unavoidable. Anxiety depletes energy and confidence and makes courageous decisions difficult. One way to minimize anxiety is to pursue the opposite of division and
We hold tight to people, pleasures and positions that make us feel more alive. Whether it’s our loyalty to children, health, or performance, these objects of our love are often very good things that benefit from our attention. They also give us status, meaning and happiness. So our grip on them is fierce, sometimes to
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE