OUR Leadership BLOG

Dr. Paul Metler | 11/25/2014

This week will provide many reminders of the importance of thanksgiving. It’s hard to quantify the value of gratitude, but among the virtues of leadership, it may be the greatest. Making thanksgiving a consistent part of your leadership will bring out your best qualities, refine the quality of your influence on others and brighten your perspective.

Dr. Fred Johnson | 11/25/2014

In 1917, federal investigators seized a shipment of Clark Stanley’s Snake Oil Liniment. Prior to this, medicines derived from Chinese water snakes had actually proven to be quite effective in treating joint pain, due to their richness in omega-3 acids. So people were very receptive to snake oil as a treatment for all sorts of ailments. Jumping on the trend, less than scrupulous opportunists began bottling and selling oils processed from American rattlesnakes. But these oils were very low in omega-3 and provided no benefit whatsoever.

Dr. Paul Metler | 11/17/2014

You can probably think of a number of occasions when you have been asked a simple question, “What did you learn today?” It begins early in life. You trudged home from a long and arduous day at Kindergarten and your mom popped the question, “What did you learn today?” After a mistake in judgment during the tumultuous teenage years you were confronted with another iteration of the question, “What did you learn from your experience?” It’s a good question that carries forward into your life as a leader. To be sure, the best leaders are lifelong learners.

Dr. Paul Metler | 11/10/2014

Are you energized this morning or are you wading through messages about overcoming burnout and finding meaning in your work in hopes of finding a gold nugget of inspiration? Sometimes, inspiration is much more accessible than you think. It may just be a matter of perspective.

Dr. Paul Metler | 11/3/2014

The day has just begun and many messages compete for your time. Honestly, it’s so easy to get knocked off course. There are times that a subtle deviation turns into a U-turn. It’s a two-fold challenge. First, a clear sense of direction is more important than ever. Second, you have to refine your ability to respond to distractions and unexpected challenges. Navigation is a critical leadership skill. It is the ability to stay on course and find your way.
 
How do you find your way?

Dr. Paul Metler | 10/27/2014

For part of my life, I lived in Arizona. Arizona did not “participate” in Daylight Savings Time. It was always in the back of my mind when I called family members in the East. Is it two hours or three hours? Since moving back into a state that adjusts every spring and fall, I have grown accustomed once again to that familiar question, “When does the time change?”

Dr. Paul Metler | 10/20/2014

It’s that time of year. Kids are preparing to dress up in costumes and trek from door to door to make a friendly demand for chocolate. Sometimes you can recognize the child within the minion and sometimes it’s hard to tell. These short-term changes in identity provide a lot of fun. Why is it so much fun to pretend to be someone you’re not? It could be the reward. Even a minimal costume on Halloween will net you some candy.

Dr. Paul Metler | 10/13/2014

Not long ago I was planning a short trip. So I did a little homework. I checked Google Maps for the “best” route. As usual, I was given a choice. For this particular trip, I had three options. That’s not unusual for Google Maps. However, for the first time, I was given two routes, differing by 34 miles with the exact same time estimate for travel. Obviously, the longer route provided more time on major roadways and the shorter route included some scenic opportunities. Have you ever tried a “short-cut” that ended badly?

Dr. Paul Metler | 10/8/2014

It’s another banner year for superhero fans. Take your pick. CW offers The Flash and Arrow and Fox provides a gritty look at the young batman in Gotham. Everybody loves a hero. Last night’s debut of The Flash introduced Barry Allen as a forensic scientist who receives a fortuitous lightning strike and a dose of chemicals and emerges as the fastest man on the planet. So what can we learn from The Flash?

Dr. Paul Metler | 10/6/2014

As members of the millennial generation enter the workforce in increasing numbers, attempts to describe the impact are increasing. How is this generation different from previous generations? Have values and motivations shifted? There is no shortage of questions and answers swirling around. We live in a world where rapid change has become the norm. So, we are accustomed to considering how these changes impact organizations and leadership into the future.