OUR Leadership BLOG

Dr. Paul Metler | 8/15/2016

When Daniel Goleman wrote about the relationship of emotions and behavior over twenty years ago, references to Emotional Intelligence were not all that common. Today, it’s hard to overlook the articles and books that describe one aspect or another of leadership through the lens of neuroscience. Despite all the breakthroughs in science and our understanding of leadership practices, actual behavior remains a challenge. Where’s the progress? The words published by Goleman in 1995 seem a bit ominous. Goleman emphasized the importance of right behavior by reaching back to the ethical writings of Aristotle.

Dr. Paul Metler | 8/8/2016

Recently, I was traveling through Arizona with my family and took a few moments to admire the beauty of Oak Creek Canyon. One trail took us underneath a bridge. From the top of the bridge, travelers were provided spectacular views of the red rocks and canyons. My vantage from underneath the bridge provided a different perspective. It’s impossible to see under a bridge while you are crossing it. But those who were crossing the canyon had sufficient trust in the construction to complete the span form one side to the other. Think of today as a bridge that stretches from yesterday to tomorrow. Do you trust that today will connect the lessons learned yesterday to a brighter tomorrow? Your leadership development depends on it.

Dr. Paul Metler | 7/14/2016

When you’re an athlete, a scoreboard is an important part of the game. Scoreboards come in all shapes, sizes and types. When you think about a scoreboard you may envision an extravagant display like the Dallas Cowboys’ screen that stretches from one 20-yard line to the other or a simple sign at one end of a high school field. The basic function is the same. A scoreboard lets you know how you’re doing. Recent time spent with a group of exceptional leaders who have excelled in sports and life helped me recognize that the absence of a scoreboard can present significant challenges. In fact, this can be especially true for a professional athlete transitioning into the next phase of life. There are four reasons why it’s important to have a scoreboard. A feature on a scoreboard symbolizes each of the reasons.

Dr. Paul Metler | 7/11/2016

To keep things in small, easily digestible chunks, every football game is divided into quarters and play doesn’t end until all four quarters are completed. If you win every quarter, you are assured a victory at the end of the game.
 
At InitiativeOne, we are your four-quarter game changer. We understand that true transformation begins with developing the best leadership talent in your organization and continues through a strategic investment that will sustain high performance momentum. We have a proven systematic approach that begins with your key leaders and carries you toward a sustainable legacy.

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/31/2016

How’s Your Team?
 
Marcia glanced at her watch. The last ten minutes had progressed at a snail’s pace. The conference room was half empty. As usual, Marcia had arrived on time and waited. A few team members were hovering just outside the door while they finished up a conversation about the recent departure of a departmental manager. For Marcia, this was just another meeting that sucked the life out of her. She gave a quick glance at the team motto on the wall and rolled her eyes. It was her weekly dose of inconsequential reporting and a dull exchange of information.

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/27/2016

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is fairest of all?
To this the mirror answered: You, my queen, are fairest of all.
Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth.
It’s the line from Snow White that everyone remembers.

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/6/2016

John Mertz drew inspiration from a grove of aspen trees in the Rockies. In Activate Leadership, Mertz shares about a snowshoe journey into the mountains and powerful revelation by his guide. The guide explained how the aspens grow in community. They do not grow alone. Rather, the aspens are bound together by an incredible root system. Those nuggets of wisdom and the elaboration found in Activate Leadership are a fitting reminder. Leaders are not so different from aspens. They grow better in community.

Dr. Paul Metler | 3/28/2016

There is something contagious about a culture with highly engaged employees. Energy and a positive expectation about the future seem to permeate the atmosphere. What leader does not want that kind of environment? It’s not easy to get there. Most recipes for this kind of culture include a sizable measure of empowerment. Employees thrive when they are able to flex their leadership capacity.

Dr. Fred Johnson | 2/23/2016

Tough Times are a Breeding Ground for Great Opportunity
 
While attending college in the early 80s, I found myself in need of a summer job. In the midst of the Carter Administration, our economy was in a severe recession. Unemployment was high and hope was low.
 
One day, a local pig farmer offered me a position as a temporary laborer. I soon learned this was no average pig farmer and no ordinary pig farm. At the time, it was one of the largest family-owned hog operations in Iowa, sending hundreds of pigs to market each week.

Dr. Paul Metler | 1/28/2016

“A healthy soul, therefore, must do two things for us. First, it must put some fire in our veins, keep us energized, vibrant, living with zest, and full of hope as we sense that life is, ultimately beautiful and worth living. Second, a healthy soul has to keep us fixed together. It has to continually give us a sense of who we are, where we came from, where we are going, and what sense there is in all of this.”
 
Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing