Nelson Coulter

The people I admire most live in a constant state of challenge. They challenge themselves daily to get better at both the things they already do well and those areas where they still "need a little work." These folks make a habit of getting better, every day, on...

How often do we feel like we run off into the ditch in organizational work. More often than not, our getting into the ditch has to do with the complexities with which we are dealing. As one of my mentors is fond of saying, "There's a whole lot of ways to get it wrong,...

A wise and valued mentor of mine (aka ED) drew my attention to one of the biggest challenges we face in attempting to accomplish important things. ED helped me understand that in most cases, the executive team and the mid-management leadership all share the same...

"Failing forward" is a phrase we hear with some frequency. And, it makes sense. IF we are bold...       IF we take risks to achieve ambitious and important things...            IF we step out of our comfort zone...  There will inevitably be some fails.  But, then...

The best leaders I know keep us all pointed in the right direction. They make sure we all know where we're headed and why we're headed there. They relentlessly communicate the Vision by... Making the Vision synonymous with the brand. Hiring people who share the...

Grand plans and lofty projects are often hatched as result of stakeholder conversations. Most of them look and feel extremely important. Some are. Far too often they are codified (in a three-ring binder) and put on a shelf, usually somewhere in the Boss's office or on...

I have long been convinced that the day we stop learning and growing is the day we put our first foot in the grave. If that is true (or even close to true), then how might we be measuring our growth? Learning new skills? Finding a new way to serve others? Reading in...

TONS have been written and produced in the interest of unlocking the keys to successful leadership. We've all read, seen, and heard the voluminous advice and admonitions. In my profession of education we often refer to the "knowing-doing gap." It's that void between...

Most of us want to be able to have some influence. Being able to influence others sometimes serves us personally (con men/women are notable and obvious examples). Sometimes, being able to influence others serves our team's interests/positions (professional negotiators...

Perseverating on past mistakes and fails can become an anchor. Failure can mire us in doubt and misgiving and hesitation. Or, it can propel us toward betterness. Some ways we can use the past as launching pad instead of an anchor... Focus on who we want to be, not on...