OUR Leadership BLOG

Dr. Paul Metler | 6/15/2015

Last weekend I made a trip to the local auto parts store and picked up some wiper blades. I replaced the wiper blades on a beautiful sunny day. There was no threat of rain in the forecast. It was perfect day to replace them. The next time it rains I’ll be glad I did.
 
The perfect time to prepare for leadership storms is before they happen.
 
Practice impeccable communication.

Dr. Paul Metler | 6/8/2015

It seems like everyone I know is running a race. The popularity of running marathons or half marathons is growing. Over 2 Million runners finished half marathon races in 2014. There are some striking similarities between those who run well and those who lead well.
 
It’s Monday morning. It’s race day. The course is set. You plan to finish the week strong. But, will you finish well? Maybe it’s not really fair to compare your workweek to a marathon. There are some important similarities and some important differences. But, you can borrow a few training lessons that will make your day better. Great runners understand the importance of preparing for the race before the race begins. You should too.
 
Get ready for your week before you run at your day.

Dr. Paul Metler | 6/2/2015

I was enjoying a delicious meal at a restaurant last week. I had just begun to dive into an appetizer when I became an inadvertent eavesdropper. The booth where I was seated with my family was located beside a server station. This particular server station had become the proverbial water cooler. Though it was the dinner hour and the restaurant was fairly busy, the steady stream of customers did not deter the servers from stealing a little time for conversation. The conversation was lively and focused. It was all about leaving their current employer for another restaurant. I felt a bit like a traveler in an airport. It was as though I was staring at the screen filled departure times. With a little work, I could have listed the names of servers and estimated when each one was going to take off. Is turnover a problem in your world?

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/25/2015

While serving in one of my first leadership assignments, I learned some valuable lessons about what it means to inspire others. I was in my twenties when I met a very special leadership mentor. She was old enough to be my grandmother. She was quite a warrior and I watched her battle. My time with her was brief. But, the lessons she taught me and her inspiration endures. From the time I met her until I watched her transition from this life to the next, I never considered how her courage would affect my life. I carry three enduring lessons about inspiration from her influence.

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/18/2015

As a child, my front yard was the venue for many high stakes kickball games. Right field was the best opportunity for a home run. Kick it over the neighbor’s fence and you could take a victory lap around the bases. Left field was a different story. A long shot into left meant an automatic double because the ball would land in the street. Leftfielders were trained to pause before chasing the ball and “look both ways” before entering the street. In my childhood kickball game, “both ways” included a glance to the left and a glance to the right. But there are other options that provide a useful leadership application. Instead of looking to the left and right, it’s important for you to look back and then look forward. Here are some guidelines that will allow you to glean the most benefit from the view.

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/11/2015

“Man is so made that if he is told often enough that he is a fool he believes it. By telling himself so often enough he convinces himself, because when he is alone he carries on an inner dialogue with himself which is important to keep under proper control.”
 
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

Dr. Paul Metler | 5/4/2015

Are you ready for a new adventure? Your week can become a transformational journey. It can be a frontier of exploration that yields new scenery and a fresh perspective. You don’t have to quit your job or transfer to a new location. It will not cost any airfare or require a passport. If you are serious about exploring new leadership territory this week, you can begin with two strategic changes. First, ask better questions. Then, pause and listen. These two practices will open your eyes and ears to new possibilities for transformation.

Dr. Paul Metler | 4/27/2015

As spring moves toward summer, many students are ready to put on caps and gowns, listen to commencement speeches, and begin a new journey. It’s a season of change. Some emerging scholars have already accepted new positions and new assignments. Others are riding a wave of momentum into additional education. Most graduates have learned to steady themselves and expect the ubiquitous questions. At the top of the list of questions is the persistent inquiry, “What are you going to do after graduation?” It is a question that blends two stalwart leadership themes. Do you have a strategic plan for the next stage of your life? Does your decision-making process align with your vision of the future?

Tom Rosson, Ph.D. | 4/20/2015

The other night, my daughter and I watched TV and came across a movie starring Jack Lemmon and James Garner (My Fellow Americans) as feuding ex-presidents who spend most of the movie trying to clear their name from a bribery scheme and murder for which they are being framed. In reality the crimes lead to the sitting president (played by Dan Aykroyd). When the two ex-presidents have figured out who is behind the crime but still lack any documented evidence, Jack Lemmon exclaims, “We have to inform the American people?”

Dr. Paul Metler | 4/13/2015

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again.