How Not To Kill The Astronauts On Your Team
Have you seen the movie Apollo 13? In case you’re unfamiliar with it, it is not the sequel to Apollos 1 through 12. It’s a nail-biter of a movie that tells the true story of the ill-fated—and almost...
View ArticleHow To Keep Your Team From Freezing Under Pressure
First question: Have you ever played poker? I mean real poker, with real money at stake. (“Real” money, of course, being a relative term—primarily relative to your current net worth.) Second question:...
View ArticleWhy Believing Your Own Hype Will Make You Choke Under Pressure
The stories are legendary. Abraham Lincoln loses his run for the Senate…twice. And goes on to become our greatest president. A young Robert De Niro gets passed over for the role of a lifetime as Sonny...
View ArticleAre Your Policies Killing Your Opportunities?
Back when I was in high school (or it might have been shortly after; I don’t really remember, and it doesn’t really matter), I got a part-time job at the Don Randall Music Store in Lancaster,...
View ArticleThe Winning Mindset For Creative Solutions Under Pressure
For fifteen years, part of my job was to come up with creative ideas—every week, under extreme time pressure, with roughly a million people watching. I was good at it. Really good. But I didn’t start...
View ArticleHow Socrates Can Make You A Better Leader
Remember Socrates? Greek fella, lived a long time ago, had a drinking problem (specifically with hemlock)? He also invented this thing called the Socratic Method. (Although, for the record, he didn’t...
View ArticleCan You Handle The Pressure Of The First Time?
Have you ever felt pressure to produce, even when you know you’ve got what it takes? I was just talking with a friend of mine—Bruce—who is also, like me, an amateur musician. Don’t get me wrong—we’ve...
View ArticleThis Simple Question Can Help You Conquer Your Pressure
Have you ever felt overwhelmed when you’re under pressure? I know—stupid question, right? Of course you’ve felt overwhelmed under pressure! The two kind of go hand in hand. That’s because when you’re...
View ArticleAre You Making This Hidden Leadership Mistake?
My piano is being tuned as I’m writing this. Don’t get me wrong…it didn’t sound out of tune. But it’s a valuable instrument, and I care about it. So I get it tuned twice a year, without fail. Now, I...
View ArticleWhy You Need To Stretch Yourself As A Leader
I’m currently learning a new piece on the piano (Bumble Boogie by Jack Fina). It’s a challenge for me because, 1) it requires a fair amount of technique, 2) it’s fast, and 3) I’m not very good at the...
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