winning

The Danger of Deadlines

We all know the value of a good deadline. It helps us get focused, motivated, and sharpens our thinking, right? Not so fast. Current brain research suggests that, in most cases, deadlines do the exact opposite – creating stress and tension while limiting our thinking. Having a sense of urgency does stimulate the part of…

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Creating the Pathways to Excellence

If you talk to winning athletes – not the one-time wonders, but those who win on a consistent basis – they’ll tell you that winning is a habit. What they don’t tell you is just how hard they work to develop that habit. Winning takes a lot of things, like talent, commitment, resources and support….

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Developing a Winning Team

In my last blog, I talked about Alex Ferguson, the now retired coach for Manchester United, one of the most successful sports franchises in the world. In addition to his technical soccer skills, Ferguson won wide acclaim for his ability to grow and develop talent. Whether in sports or in business, building a winning team…

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The Ferguson Formula for Winning

You can always count on the Harvard Business Review for great insights on strategy, leadership and success.  I love this article – “Ferguson’s Formula” (http://hbr.org/2013/10/fergusons-formula/ar/1)  – from the October 2013 issue. One of the most respected names in global sports, Sir Alex Ferguson managed the highly successful English soccer club Manchester United for 26 years….

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Prompt Your Brain to Win

Do you recall learning to ride a bicycle as a young child? At first, you probably wobbled and fell and wanted to quit, especially if you banged a knee or an elbow in the fall. But with mom or dad at your side, or perhaps an older sibling, you had the courage to persevere. Or…

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Prove Yourself Wrong to Get Your Plan Right

  One of our greatest strengths as adult humans is to the ability to “prove” ourselves right.  We do it in many different ways. First, we constantly look for evidence that supports what we believe to be true. At the same time, we actively block out data that contradicts our prevailing point of view, making…

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Are You an Elite Leader?

A simple definition of elite leadership can be hard to pin down, but we all know it when we see it. I’ve been studying and working with elite leaders for years – from military teams to Olympic athletes and high performing work teams – and it’s obvious when I meet them. But what is it,…

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Are You in Mental Fight or Flight?

Have you ever made a dumb management decision? One that seemed like a good idea at the time, but after it fell flat you looked back and wondered, “What was I thinking?” We all do this from time to time. But you may be surprised to learn that one cause of this particular human trait is…

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How to Implement with Discipline and Focus

A while back, I wrote a blog about how hard it is to win in today’s business environment. What with global competition, low barriers to entry for most industries, uncertain economic conditions, and the constant need to innovate, achieving a position of market leadership seems tougher than ever. But while talking on this subject with…

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Are You Engaging to Win?

It’s time for my annual update on employee engagement, and once again the news isn’t good. In fact, based on data from Gallup, the trusted public opinion and research firm, the current state of employee engagement in the U.S. could well be described as dismal. In a recent State of the American Workplace Report, Gallup…

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Are You Practicing to Win?

What do Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, LeBron James, and other elite athletes have in common?  They all practice.  A lot. Even after winning world championships, the first thing they do the following season is undertake rigorous training and practice sessions to develop their skills to even higher levels. Then they play a number of practice…

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Are You Ready to Win in 2014?

Did you blink and 2013 zipped right by? Don’t worry, it happened to me too. Which means it’s now time to start getting ready to win in 2014! Here are the top five things you can do to prepare your organization to win in the year ahead. 1. Get clear on winning (your destination). Specifically,…

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