The Team Leadership Report

With so much of our day spent dealing with the problems that arise from leading others, it is easy to think you don’t have time for a hobby. It’s a fallacy many leaders fall into. Failing to have a hobby is also one of the reasons many leaders stumble and face burnout. In Adam Grant’s book Power Moves, we learn that David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs isn’t the straight-laced CEO you might think of when you think of Goldman Sachs. Outside of work, he spends his free time on his hobby--DJing at clubs and events. He goes by the name of DJ D-Sol and rocks clubs all around the world. He found an outlet for the stress of his job. Using his hobby of DJing, he is able to relax and decompress to avoid burnout. Carey Nieuwhof, the former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church, enjoys spending time cycling the roads of Canada. He’s learned through the process of burnout that he has to do something for himself or he will burnout again. Burnout comes from prolonged periods of extr

Like it or not, “presence” is an important competency for any leader. You know it when you see it--a leader with presence exudes self-confidence, is self-assured, can be passionate about their beliefs, commands attention, communicates well, and makes people around them feel better and more self-assured. Regardless of where you stand on the presidential candidates, it’s clear that Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan had it, while Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter did not. Presidential presence or lack of is often exposed in the harsh glare of televised debates, and as Richard Nixon found out in the 1960 presidential elections, it can make or break a candidate. One of the reasons Reagan had such a strong stage presence was that he was trained as an actor. Leading executive development programs have long been incorporating acting lessons into their programs and/or follow-up coaching. Don’t get me wrong--leadership isn’t about being phony or misrepresenting yourself. Authenticity is even mo

It’s challenging to prepare for a game in which you are not the favorite. On one hand, it can provide a huge motivational boost for your team, while on the other hand, it can lead to a feeling of insecurity and a lack of confidence. Many teams are beaten before they step on the playing field because of preconceived notions or because of what happened in a previous game. Here are some words of advice from our book A Season In Words to help prepare your team when they are the underdog. The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. Skating on thin ice is better than skating on no ice at all. A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man. Doubt whom you will but never yourself. Success is doing what it takes in spite of one’s fears. Of positive and negative thoughts—it doesn’t cost one cent more to think positively. Overcome resistance with persistence. If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere. Champions know it’s not having th