“What do I know? Who needs to know? Have I told them?” — Jim Mattis, Call Sign Chaos NOTE: James Norman Mattis (born September 8, 1950) is an American veteran and former government official who served as the 26th United States Secretary of Defense from January 2017 through December 2018. A retired United States Marine […] The post 3 Important Quest…

As an executive/leadership coach, I hear clients devote an extraordinary amount of time sharing their experiences with low-performing team members. It makes sense. These people are responsible for considerable headaches to leaders. Today, I’m going to suggest leaders devote more time to the high-performers by embracing a few common components of hi…

High performers tend to take on more and more…because they have a high degree of willingness, they want more responsibility and we know they’ll get it done. Leaders must be mindful of over-burdening star players simply because we know they’ll “get it done.” Great leaders are highly aware of what their team members are The post Mindful Leadership: D…

Legacy. What will yours be? Every great leader quickly recognizes people who make a difference in their lives. Maybe it was a school teacher. Or a sports coach. It may have been a parent or grandparent. Each of us is standing on the shoulders of somebody who came before us. Who will stand on The post The Legacy of Great Leadership: Who Will Stand O…

Author Brad Meltzer said… “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” Today, we’re pulling back the curtain to demonstrate Meltzer’s quote is correct. The point? Compassion. “A focus on others.” Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa The post Everyone You Meet…

You’ll either find a way…or an excuse. Lisa and I were discussing understanding. Mostly, we were considering this quote from an unknown author… If only we fought just as hard to understand as we do to disagree. It morphed into a conversation about the difference between high and low performers. Not that there’s only The post No Excuses Leadership a…

From childhood until this present moment…I suffer from high empathy. When recently describing my empathy I reiterated how the depth of my empathy wasn’t some universal brush used to paint everybody or every situation. I’m discriminating. Selective. Because I know I’m a finite resource with only so much to give, only so much time The post Great Lead…

Be scared and do it anyway. Be under-qualified, and get in the room anyway. Be messy, imperfect, and unsure and show up anyway. Comfort is the enemy of growth. Get uncomfortable. Growth requires learning. Learning requires us to attempt things we’ve not tried before. Along the way, there will be missteps, mistakes, and failures. The post Get Uncomf…

Today, I ask Lisa to pull the curtain back and share a part of her journey as a new Managing Director, being part of the City Manager’s Office, that involves earning the trust of your boss(es). For her, it’s a new role, but it still speaks to our need (and opportunity) to show our The post Earning The Trust Of Your Boss appeared first on GROW GREAT…

This version was first published in Punch, April 10, 1875, and ran as follows. There was an owl liv’d in an oak The more he heard, the less he spoke The less he spoke, the more he heard. O, if men were all like that wise bird. We saw this posted on social media some The post Listening Like That Wise Old Owl appeared first on GROW GREAT.…

You don’t always have to tell your side of the story because time will. Leaders can be honest without being completely open with all the details. Sometimes we must deliver a deeper service by protecting others. It’s part of the loneliness of leadership – the knowledge we have that would serve no useful purpose The post Time Will Often Tell The Stor…

Cowardice takes a toll on effective leadership. It robs us of opportunities to perform better, to serve well and to make a positive difference. It’s hard, but necessary at times if we’re going to do the “right” thing. Join us today as we discuss courage, cowardice, competence and credibility. See if you can apply The post Are You Courageous Enough …

Two recent physical ailments provoked me to think about how I might improve a third problem. Honestly, had it not been for the first two I may have avoided getting too serious about figuring out the other one. Join me and Lisa today as we talk about self-awareness and self-improvement in our leadership and The post Self-Improvement For City Governm…

Shiny object syndrome. Dogs (or cats) chasing laser pointers. Running around like squirrels. Chasing our tails. We use all kinds of language to describe being distracted. It’s increasingly easy to be distracted. Electronically. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. What if we could discipline ourselves to limit the distractions? What if we were in bet…

Being present is becoming more challenging. Our meeting culture of jumping from one meeting to another contributes to the challenge. So does the Internet, social media and the iPhone. All of our lives are filled with distractions that beckon for our attention. Simon Sinek and many others have talked about how phones are negatively The post Focus: B…

Do you have behaviors that drive you crazy? Of course. We all do. Join me and Lisa as we discuss overcoming the things about ourselves that drives us crazy (and probably drives others crazy, too). Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • The post Wrestling With Ourselves appeared first…

High performers are the most coachable people on the planet. They’re driven to get better. Always improving. High performers want to shoulder high expectations. They crave the responsibility and accountability. They remain curious – wondering how they might get better. It never crosses their mind to stop learning because all of life is an The post …

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Lisa and I both agree that our leadership failures have always had one thing in common: pride. After almost 15 years of coaching executives I’ve discovered that we’re not alone. Every leader I know confesses their own failures stemmed from moments The post Pride Destr…

May 7, 1957. My birthday. I was officially old years ago. Now I’m really old. Lisa and I talk about our age, being married, being empty nesters and more. Thank you for being part of our lives. We hope we’re having a positive impact on your leadership journey. Be well. Do good. Grow great! The post Randy Is Circling The Drain appeared first on GROW …

They’re always down and out. They complain incessantly. They’re adept at seeing the dark side of every challenge. Or opportunity. You don’t dare ask them how they’re doing because they’ll tell you. Complaining is their main source of vibrancy. Eeyore wasn’t a leader. That behavior won’t help us become leaders either. Be well. Do The post Don’t Be L…

“It shouldn’t be this hard,” said the young bride speaking about her first year of married life. “What makes you think so?” I asked. “Because we’re in love.” Whether it’s love, life or work…many people are confused about how much work is required to achieve greatness. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. Be well. The post Great Leaders Know It’s Hard, But…

“You get what you inspect.” – a trite management maxim “You get what you expect.” – a slightly less trite maxim “You see where you focus.” – the topic of today’s show Ask yourself these questions: a. What am I constantly looking at? b. What am I constantly looking for? c. Why? Optimism pays The post Where’s Your Focus? appeared first on GROW GREAT.…

People love to use business or industry jargon. And many of us enjoy hearing ourselves. Is it helpful in stating and solving problems? Does it help us seize opportunities better? Simplify Your Way To Better Solutions – putting in the work to be succinct in stating a problem clearly in the simplest terms to The post Great Leaders Can Make It Simple …

Lisa texted me the following anonymous quote: No matter what knocks you down in life, get back up and keep going. Never give up. Great blessings are a result of great perservance. I was born in Oklahoma, historically Indian territory. I can’t remember when I first heard the story of how buffalo react to The post I May Quit, But Not Today appeared f…

I’m a lifelong insomniac who doesn’t require much sleep. Occasionally I go on spurts of sleeping even less (which normally results in sleeping 12 hours at some point in the future). Lisa knows this about me, recently prompting her to ask, “Have you been getting sleep?” I responded sarcastically with the title used for The post We’ll Sleep When We’r…

Today we discuss the damage done by bosses who throw their own team members under the bus. The Holy Grail of leadership is a person’s ability (and willingness) to assemble a team, train a team, grow and develop a team to high performance standards consistently. That requires trust. Which requires self-sacrifice and a commitment The post Leaders Go …

A wise man speaks because he has something to say, a fool speaks because he has to say something. Listening has a direct correlation with leadership. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With Randy On Linkedin We encourage you to contact The post Listening Your Way To Bette…

“Shake it up, baby. Twist and shout.” Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up, changed and rearranged to relocate us to the place we’re meant to be. Most often our changes – which includes our growth and improvement – result from some shake up in our life. If we respond well, The post Twist & Shout Your Way To Growth appeared first on G…

For things to change for you…you must change! Work harder on yourself than your job. These wise words speaks to our topic today – improving ourselves so we can garner the highest return possible on our careers and our leadership. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. The post Improving Ourselves For The Highest Re…

Perspective. If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities. —Maya Angelou Viewpoint. Outlook. Philosophy. That all refer to similar things when it comes to those inner drivers behind our leadership journey. How do you see the world? How do you view your part in it? Mostly, I have found The post Perspective’s Role I…

John Sebastian wrote the classic song that’s been covered by the likes of Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet and others. Today, join me and Lisa as we discuss narrative and the stories we can – and often should – tell. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect The post The Stories We Can (and should) Tell appeared first …

Trust. It’s the bedrock foundation for all high performing teams. Excellent leaders figure out how to form it, grow and foster it. Today, we discuss the necessity to insure trust is always highly prized in our organizations. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With The post Developing & Increasing Trust …

“Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face.” – Mike Tyson Plans are valuable. Effective execution of a plan is priceless. Today, Lisa and I talk about the importance of proper planning and execution. It’s the practice of high-performing teams. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page The post High Performing Teams Know H…

Promotions come to us because we’re good at our job. We’re able to accomplish things in a specific area like HR, public works, finance or economic development. The skill to operate well in micro areas doesn’t mean we’re equipped to operate well in macro areas. The higher up the food chain we ascend, the The post Becoming A More Strategic Leader app…

Adult children often find themselves needing to take care of their aging parents. It’s a responsibility we take on because it’s the right thing to do. But there’s more. Today, join me and Lisa as we talk about the responsibility of leadership. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for The post The Responsibility Of Leadership appea…

Thank you for giving us your time and attention. We appreciate it. Lisa and I hope you and your family enjoy a safe, happy, and fun holiday season. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With Randy On Linkedin We encourage The post Happy Holidays 2023! appeared first on GROW …

Leadership is: A focus on others A positive influence Doing for others what they may be unable to do for themselves The true measurement of effective leadership is how well we serve others. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With The post Leadership Is Measured In How Wel…

The only magical thing about the end of one year and the beginning of a new one is in our heads. Well, okay, it’s not all in our heads. It’s also in our body because we’re another year older. But we can establish and pursue new goals at any time. We can make up The post Do You Have Leadership Growth Goals For 2024? appeared first on GROW GREAT.…

Lisa texted me this the other day. She and I have spent hours discussing the value of leaning hard into being ourselves. As a leadership and executive coach, it’s less about being happy and more about being effective, productive, and highly impactful. Happiness feels too temporary for me, but contentment seems more sustainable. But The post Be The …

From me and Lisa to all of you, HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With Randy On Linkedin We encourage you to contact us. Feedback, suggestions, criticisms, insights, and experiences are welcomed. Thank you for watching and listening! The post Happy Th…

Today Lisa and I finish up our conversation on FOCUS and LEVERAGE – the notion that high-performance requires saying “no” to some things so we can say “yes” to other things. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With Randy On The post If Everything Is Important, Then Nothing…

Transitions are part of our lives. Professionally and personally. Because nothing remains the same. If we neglect to maintain our houses, they fall into disrepair. Entropy happens. So we must maintain a focus on taking care of things. That means doing things to improve, fix or accomplish our desired outcomes. Some of us focus The post Are You A Tor…

… when your boots don’t match the map, trust your boots. Many years ago I heard a military officer say that. It stuck with me because it was such a pointed and insightful way of saying a couple of wise things. One, that where we think we are versus where we actually are…may not be The post When Your Boots Don’t Match The Map, Trust Your Boots appea…

She’s excellent at her job because she’s among the top subject-matter experts in her department. But she’s toxic. Unliked. Her caustic behavior is off-putting to other team members. Unhelpful. Intolerant of other opinions. She grows increasingly discontented because time and again she’s passed over for promotion. She feels it completely unjustified…

We’re 10 days into Lisa’s new role as a Managing Director (responsibilities are similar to an assistant city manager). I wanted to chronicle her journey periodically for your benefit. She’s transitioning away from being the longtime Director of HR while transitioning into a broader leadership role supervising multiple departments. The journey invol…

Ron Ashby passed away in the early morning hours of September 11, 2023. He was surrounded by family including a daughter named Lisa Norris. Lisa’s life was turned upside down weeks earlier when her father suffered a stroke. But while the view from outside may have appeared calm, there was maniacal effort happening under The post Compassion’s Role I…

Today we go public with news of Lisa’s recent promotion to Managing Director. There are lessons for all of us. Who matters. Be valuable so you’re a who for others. Relationships matter. Focus on others and be helpful. To get permission, grow where you’re planted. Be grateful. Be optimistic. Be well. Do good. Grow The post Update: Lisa Gets A Promot…

We’re up to part 3 of our hybrid work series. Previously we introduced the benefits and challenges of hybrid work, then we discussed culture. Today we’re going to discuss eligibility for hybrid work. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With The post Figuring Out Hybrid Wor…

Today in part 2 of our series we’re going to discuss the impact of culture on hybrid work. Be well. Do good. Grow great! Check out the Hosts page for our profiles. Connect With Lisa On Linkedin • Connect With Randy On Linkedin We encourage you to contact us. Feedback, suggestions, criticisms, insights, and experiences are The post Figuring Out Hybr…

Since the disruption of the Pandemic organizations have wrestled with redefining what work looks like. Hybrid work is partly in-person work and partly remote work. For some organizations it’s completely remote except for a few team building in-person events. Hybrid work is not one-size-fits-all. Join us today as we discuss how we can figure The pos…