Yearly Archives: 2013

Many diversity conferences and corporate affinity groups that I visit are busy solving a similar problem: What’s keeping us from getting to the top? Inevitably, part of the conclusion is that cultural differences amount to a disadvantage, either legitimately or unfairly.  In my experience, minority professionals often feel under-appreciated for their skills, and are preoccupied…

Leaders are often evaluated against a set of core competencies that describe the skills and behaviors that result in superior performance.   The standard set of leadership competencies, validated by extensive research, has since become the language of leadership.  Vision, Self-Confidence, Developing Others, Problem Solving… we know the list well. In fact, leadership competencies have…

Last week, I gave a presentation to the National Black MBA Association, entitled: Leadership Is Your Fate – Outsmart Your Leadership Genes By Shaping Your Environment.  The concept, which was adapted from my recently published book, explores the notion that everyone has natural leadership attributes (genes) that can both enable our success and threaten to…

By advancing to leadership too quickly, many young professionals are missing out on defining experiences along the way. There is no substitute for time in grade. Learning to lead is an evolutionary process, and sometimes a journey along the scenic route is actually the most efficient path to becoming a sustainable leader. Now that organizations…