Do You Keep Score at Work?
Posted On September 4, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
Have you ever worked with someone who “keeps score” with you? You know, that person who always seems to remember the people who owe them something, or who did something bad to them, or how many people they need to get even with? Scorekeepers are people who keep track of how many good things they […]
What Is “Leadership Transference?”
Posted On August 26, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
Leadership can mean different things at different times to different people. But a few things are non-negotiable. Not long ago, I read a short essay about Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the concept of “transference” came up. The point of the essay was that during his presidency, Roosevelt was not a healthy nor a strong man. He was in […]
No One Leads All the Time: 7 Characteristics of Good Followership
Posted On August 19, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
At The Latimer Group, we often say, “No one leads all the time.” Part of being a good teammate – and a good leader – is knowing how to also be a good follower. True, followership isn’t always fun; it’s not always sexy. The credit often goes to the person in the lead. But good […]
On Robin Williams, Depression and Being a Good Friend
Posted On August 12, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
No matter how certain you are, you never really know what another person is going through. You never really know what it is like to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. You never really know what is going on in another person’s life. Yesterday, the world learned that comedian and actor Robin Williams had […]
Can We Disagree Without Being Disagreeable? (If wishing made it so…)
Posted On August 6, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
I prefer speaking with people who think differently than I do. It’s more interesting. It’s more challenging. It makes me think. It opens my eyes to other perspectives. And sometimes it makes me angry. But it’s all 100% healthy. And unfortunately our society – in business and politics, and especially on social media – is […]
For Better Team Alignment, Don’t Forget This Critical Step
Posted On July 21, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
In an earlier post, we talked about the first critical step towards creating a well-aligned, motivated and productive team. You must have a clear direction, mission or goal for that team to be aligned around, before you have any hope of having an aligned team. What’s the second critical step? Well, at the risk of […]
The LeBron James Homecoming Announcement, Part 2
Posted On July 17, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
In the latest edition of our Soundwaves podcast, we offer some additional thoughts on the July 10, 2014 announcement by LeBron James that he’ll be returning to his home town of Cleveland to play with the Cavaliers once again. Rare is the occasion when a celebrity — especially such a high-profile one as LeBron — […]
A Remarkable “Pitch Perfect” Moment from LeBron James
Posted On July 14, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
Every once in a while a celebrity or an athlete does or says something that really catches you off guard, and makes you stop and think “wait… that was really good. Where did that come from?” Last Friday, July 11, 2014 was one of those times. Regardless of whether you like basketball, or follow sports […]
Step One in Aligning a Successful Team
Posted On June 30, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
Regardless of our industry, our organization and our role within our organization, the ability to align and motivate the people who work for us or with us is a mission critical skill. Simple fact. And this is not an easy thing to do. Almost everyone shows up with their own ideas, their own agenda, and their […]
Are You Sure You Practice What You Preach?
Posted On May 27, 2014 BY Dean Brenner
We get inquiries all the time from managers, directors and organizational leaders about a need for communication training for their teams. And in nearly every conversation, the leader is very clear about the needs and weaknesses of his or her team. Then, when we actually conduct the training, and once the participants get comfortable enough […]