Author: Nelson Coulter In most organizations, the end of summer marks a “new” beginning. Rather than January 1, the return of employees (or students) at the end of summer seems the de facto initiation of a work year. The best leaders I know understand the power of HABIT, on themselves and on the organizations in which they work. In simplest …

Author: Nelson Coulter You’ve heard the old saw: “Curiosity killed the cat.” While that idiom may hold fair warning for cats, it’s not a great tenet for humans to live by. People with truly curious minds tinker, poke, stretch, re-do, undo, experiment, innovate, and improvise. They LEARN! (And, usually, they’re fun.) The best leaders I know take that curiosity to …

Author: Nelson Coulter Some of the folks I admire most get a LOT of stuff done. They have eclectic interests, curious minds, and superb skills in task completion. I’ve noticed some commonalities in these Gitter-Doner types: They know the time of day when their brain works best, and they do the most cognitively challenging work at those times. They tackle the “worst …

Author: Nelson Coulter Good listeners are rare. Outstanding listeners are rarer still. What keeps folks — maybe me and you — from listening well and deeply? We might not care. We’re too &$%#ed busy. We think the speaker is uniformed, or worse. We’re distracted by ___?___ (something, or everything). We don’t value the speaker, or her/his opinion. We’d rather be …

Author: Nelson Coulter Trees come in lots of flavors and styles. Some trees… Grow best in dense forests; others survive best in complete isolation. Have deep and strong tap roots; some exist with shallow roots near the surface. Have massive trunks and impervious bark; others have wispy and tender trunks. Have leaves that are broad and expansive; some wear leaves that look …