The world is changing. People are living longer. They’re staying professionally active longer. One result: There are many different age groups in the workplace these days. In addition to that, the demand for new skills and knowledge is accelerating. That means younger people are entering management and leadership earlier and more frequently. Looking Beyond Generalizations Everybody knows the workplace is becoming more diverse in terms of age groups. There’s no shortage of information about what makes each group unique. However, there’s more to it than that. Individuals are unique. We are all influenced by our experiences, efforts and education. We…

Things are changing. More people have more information than ever before. Product and service life cycles seem to be getting faster and faster. Teams have increasingly diverse viewpoints, educations and backgrounds among their members. Do these and other changes represent a threat or do they give us an opportunity? For me, the answer to that depends on your skill as a leader. Getting Away From Style Leaders develop skills through focused practice. Sometimes, if you concentrate on just a few, you start to identify with those skills. You start to think of them as your style. This limits you, especially…

We all have different reactions to multiple-priority situations. The best leaders remain focused — regardless of how much is happening. The key element to this type of focus is vision. Vision is the core of every effective leadership practice. Take Your Swing In golf, you’re responsible for every decision and action you make. The same is true in leadership. In both golf and leadership, you expect to find yourself in situations where you have multiple options. You get to choose the clubs in your bag. You choose which club to use for each shot. You choose the shot itself. You…

The way we think about aging is important. It’s part of our culture, and it determines our behavior. You probably have some pre-conceptions about age. Most of us do. The most common and the most limiting pre-conceptions about age is the idea that someone’s age gives you actionable information as a leader. The only thing someone’s age reliably tells you is how old they are. Developing Beyond Perception Great leaders let their unique visions of success define the cultures of their organizations. Multi-generational perceptions in the workplace can serve your vision — the same way any other cultural element can.…

Taking responsibility is, indisputably, one of the practices that makes a great leader. Accountability, integrity, and dedication are all skills that support a leader when it comes time to own up. As a leader, you need to remember you need to take responsibility all the time. It’s important to own your decisions about processes, teams, and individuals. Taking Your Swing Leadership is like golf. In golf, it’s just you, your club and the ball. The outcome depends on you, which include the decisions you make, your preparation and your practice. You can’t always make the perfect shot, just like you…

Wisdom is as much of a driving force in business as youth. Both are equally necessary to advance an organization’s vision. Even the youngest, edgiest fields need balanced decision-making and all established businesses need new ideas and energy. What are the first images that come to mind when you think about these words? What do you picture for “youth” and “wisdom?” Visualizing youth is probably easy. You might see energy, competitiveness, ambition and obviously — young people. However, wisdom is more difficult to pin down. What Is Wisdom? When you picture “wisdom,” do you see a guru on a mountain?…

Even experienced leaders sometimes attempt to push ahead when they should step back. In a way, it makes sense — it is a sign they are focused on their goals. The question is: Are they on the right path for those goals or have they strayed off track ? You and your team are working together to accomplish something. Hopefully, something great: Something you would never be able to do alone. It’s your vision of success. Your vision should be big. It should be something you can never lose sight of — even if you’re faced with a tough decision…