The Financial Crisis

In the midst of the financial crisis going on in America these days, there is a natural tendency to search for a villain we can blame and move on with a sense of tidiness and moral certitude. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is such a villain. Sure, there’s more than likely a good number of people who made serious mistakes out of carelessness or greed, and they will need to be held accountable for that. But the real culprit here, in my opinion, has nothing to do with economics or regulations or finance.

Lencioni’s Highly Anticipated Family Book

Most leaders I know have multiple jobs, even if they are only paid to do one of them. For instance, I am a leader of a small company, but I have leadership roles in my church, on my sons’ soccer, baseball and basketball teams, and of course, in my family. However, when I think about all of those roles, and the constituencies who are impacted by them, I cannot help but conclude that my wife and kids have received short shrift when it comes to my leadership time and energy. After all, I’ve spent hours and days and weeks thinking, reading and meeting about how to better run my company.

The Underutilization of Moral Authority

One of the most common questions I get from readers of my books and audience members at my talks goes something like this: "What do I do if my manager is the problem on my team? I mean, I don't have control over him. How am I supposed to have any influence?" Sometimes the question isn't even about a manager, but about a peer or employee in another department within the organization. I used to respond to those questions by encouraging people to try to focus on influencing their own department and maybe even accept their situation for what it is.

Neighborhoods, Homes and Office Space

My dad used to say that littering is the first stage of crime. What he meant was that when people don‘t keep their neighborhoods clean, they lose a sense of pride and personal responsibility. As the appearance of their environment continues to erode, a subtle but undeniable spiral occurs. People lose hope, their behavior becomes more irresponsible, the neighborhood gets worse, and eventually a town—or even a society—begins to crumble. Beyond the social and psychological implications of my dad‘s philosophy—one that always made sense to me—it also speaks to the powerful impact that a physical environment can have on human beings.

The Danger of More Shiny New Things

I‘m sure it‘s natural for people to be fascinated with acquiring new things. Whether we‘re talking about physical possessions like homes or cars or toys, or more conceptual assets like knowledge or technology or business strategies, we seem to highly value what we don‘t have, especially when it is novel. I suppose this is understandable—even good—in a society that values progress and innovation. However, there is a cost to overemphasizing and over-valuing all things new, a cost that goes beyond obvious concerns about greed and over-consumption.