tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103703392012-01-09T18:41:28.748-05:00This on-line journal captures my (Dr. Linda E. Pickard) reflections on personal and organizational leadership based on my recent learnings, discussion with peers in my network, and from the rich pageant of daily news events.Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.comBlogger1461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-58422041780106592622012-01-09T18:41:00.000-05:002012-01-09T18:41:28.756-05:00

It’s not getting any easier for managers to manage. The younger generations want agile, open, engaging tech-savvy workplaces where legacy bureaucracies reign. The front-line is seldom satisfied. An economic environment in perpetual turmoil yields no promises for stability. Politicians and bosses from above don’t always consult and make good policy or strategy. Managers are truly the “sandwich

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-14394235860394299162011-12-17T19:56:00.001-05:002012-01-01T19:53:46.127-05:00

Evolution has hardwired us to read but there is no genetic map for it. The “expert reading brain” comes into being through parents, teachers and self-study. Its thickly branched and interconnected cells are the result of deep, focused attention and concentration on the pages of a non-networked book or article. According to Nicholas Carr (The Shallows) and a chorus of neuroscientists, hyperlinked

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-31106990510396230802011-11-23T21:03:00.001-05:002011-12-01T23:55:13.260-05:00

Although I haven’t read Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman’s book Nurture Shock about child development, the title sparked a thought: Are we shocked out of creativity when we are growing up? We do know that adults ask fewer questions, laugh a whole lot less than kids and certainly don’t play as much with some exceptions. Those include people such as comedians, clowns, magicians and jazz musicians

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-78573471231346323222011-11-06T19:03:00.001-05:002011-11-09T21:09:02.943-05:00

Until most individuals recognize that sustained training and effort is a prerequisite for reaching expert levels of performance, they will continue to misattribute lesser achievement to the lack of natural gifts, and will thus fail to reach their own potential.- K. Anders Ericsson We humans have always marveled at the accomplishments of athletes or for that matter anyone who pushes the limits of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-39503532563404348512011-10-18T18:26:00.001-04:002011-10-23T20:30:35.758-04:00

In analyzing Agatha Christie’s writing over her lifetime, linguists concluded that her more extensive use of the word thing in her later years was an indicator of her mental decline. That observation barely registered for me at the time. But something must have stuck. I can no longer ignore that at work, in our personal lives, in books and in the media we use thing and things indiscriminately.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-10080520777046723632011-09-30T14:15:00.000-04:002011-09-30T14:15:23.360-04:00

Succession planning is a very big deal these days. Put another way: growing and keeping talent for rainy days and beyond. But what I have always found puzzling is the tendency for many organizations to look outward rather than inward, thereby ticking off a lot of people. Why is the “devil you don’t know better than the one you do” in so many recruiting efforts? Maybe it’s the quick fix approach

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-32613019831454138852011-09-01T15:41:00.000-04:002011-09-01T15:41:58.307-04:00

Socializing and socialism are two words that don’t get enough respect. Managers who are under the gun to produce more efficiencies and revenues per worker have limited tolerance for too much informal socializing. Governments faced with too little revenue and huge deficits often see “red” with anything approaching so-called socialism as it brings up negative images of “the welfare state”, laziness

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-4592817093077140212011-07-22T16:51:00.000-04:002011-07-22T16:51:52.227-04:00

I am often asked about the nature of personality. What is it? Am I stuck with it? Can I change it if I want to? By association, can leaders and managers make improvements in their personalities? That is, can a terrible boss become a wonderful boss? Well, that might be asking for too much unless the boss has an epiphany…and…there is some wiggle room for improvement. I like Manfred Kets de Vries

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-66216686968742144492011-06-13T19:44:00.000-04:002011-06-13T19:44:14.482-04:00

A long time ago I took a pile of personal growth courses. Most of what I learned is a blur to this day but a few ideas stuck. One of them is to be interested rather than interesting. Now many moons later, the phrase keeps cropping up in various articles, books and videos as one antidote to the dangers of narcissism, rugged individualism, self-delusion and poor decision-making. In the context

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-60007632084878244682011-05-19T15:17:00.001-04:002011-05-26T23:36:11.732-04:00

What fires together, wires together, as neuroscientists tell us. In The Shallows, author Nicholas Carr uses a water analogy to illustrate his lament on the impact of the Internet in changing the very structure of our minds, potentially short-circuiting our deep thinking: Flowing water hollows out a channel which grows broader and deeper. When it flows again, it follows the path traced by itself

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-880301153283928052011-05-10T18:58:00.000-04:002011-05-10T18:58:29.920-04:00

The best managers define the right outcomes rather than the right steps then get out of the way, as the Gallup Organization confirmed in its massive 25 year study in the late 1990s. This finding still stands, particularly among the upcoming younger generations who seek autonomy, purpose and mastery, according to Daniel Pink’s research and documented in his book Drive. In reality, best managers

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-73603087364320847932011-04-29T17:06:00.001-04:002011-05-01T22:58:07.525-04:00

“Fake it until you make it”, an expression popularized by Mary Kay Ash, always sticks in my mind for building confidence. It’s a good sound byte if you’re in the in the glare of the media, leading a team, running an organization or performing in front of an audience. We all squirm if a person shows discomfort, doesn’t recover graciously from a faux pas or whines without offering a positive way

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-10857497500572708902011-04-12T19:38:00.000-04:002011-04-12T19:38:37.214-04:00

The father of the 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel usually takes a pill and goes to sleep instead of watching his son battle it out in the last round of a tournament. “Wake me up when it’s over” he tells his wife who has no problem with the uncertainty and the tension. I can identify with the father. I felt so badly for 21 year-old McIlroy at the tenth hole and thereafter that I had to

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-66327958949102471862011-03-15T20:48:00.000-04:002011-03-15T20:48:00.985-04:00

The upheaval in the Middle East (out with the dictators!) reminds people everywhere: we are no longer going to put up with being viewed as monkeys or dogs who are trained to respond to the “carrot or the stick”, a form of behavior modification. Social media and other sophisticated technologies have re-awakened the human spirit because they relieve us from the routine and bring us more equally

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-61268684771834993682011-02-05T22:16:00.002-05:002011-02-06T21:14:18.234-05:00

Sometimes I wish I had a much broader liberal arts education. The events in Egypt have opened another awareness door bringing bits of knowledge about the world from the background to the foreground. But what’s the real story? How did it come to this where young people are risking life and limb for the sake of a better life? Back in the 1920s, Gandhi called it “soul force” or power devoted to

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-34203757256539204082011-01-12T19:17:00.002-05:002011-01-13T22:43:36.689-05:00

Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on those things. ---Philippians 4:8 In Daniel Amen, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life I was introduced to the salad bowl/salad concept many moons ago when immersed

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-82990297416963533292010-12-27T20:41:00.001-05:002010-12-28T09:30:47.124-05:00

The best laid plans.... It's that time of year for personal goal-setting. Similarly many new strategic plans are set in motion or get updated. But, it is always a challenge to determine what to do first. Everything seems to be a priority. I discovered a term from biology called "adjacent possible" when reading Steven Johnson's book Where Good Ideas Come From that helps in choosing which big

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-49774792952102739692010-11-24T18:52:00.001-05:002010-11-25T11:29:29.598-05:00

I am a scientist at heart. Being curious all my life, I have pondered big questions and small. For example, if the universe did not exist, would there be nothing? But, what is nothing? Stephen Hawking and many other physicists have enlightened me somewhat but the nature of the universe still seems highly mysterious to me. OK. That’s a little deep. Nevertheless, I get pretty riled up if it’s

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-13968488467097119792010-10-10T16:20:00.001-04:002010-10-11T21:35:23.205-04:00

We inherit and we also become.  ---David Shenk, The Genius in All of Us  As David Shenk so clearly points out, “talent is not a thing. It’s a process”. But it is so ingrained in our culture that geniuses are born, talent is scarce and there’s only so much you can change. Is this why we have to search far and wide for great managers and leaders? Is that why when we ask ourselves, “Who was the

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-69143645580378266432010-09-12T17:45:00.003-04:002010-09-13T21:27:33.037-04:00

Nothing is good or bad. But thinking makes it so.---Shakespeare  Shakespeare’s astute observations of the impact of how we think are as relevant today as four centuries ago. The “good” or “bad” show up as positive or negative emotions about an event. As thoughts determine our emotions and emotions drive motion, how we think matters. Good decisions depend on how we deal with the emotions

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-47927598459016994822010-08-26T18:05:00.001-04:002010-08-31T22:43:56.836-04:00

Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment. ---Oscar Wilde The rich and powerful have an extra burden to bear: resisting the temptations that easily come their way and in so doing demonstrating to others strength of character. If fame comes early in life, such as in the case of Tiger Woods, the test of character is even more difficult. It’s easy to get “messed up”

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-63958175952221223582010-07-25T16:07:00.002-04:002010-07-28T15:33:13.445-04:00

Brainstorming has come under heavy criticism by academics in recent years. Originally developed by Alex Osborn in 1953, his promise to turn groups into creative idea-producers has not lived up to the hype. Current research repeatedly shows that although people might feel more creative in a group, the raw number of ideas developed and the originality of those ideas are consistently inferior to

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-89223996743167107572010-07-23T18:09:00.001-04:002010-07-25T15:32:18.460-04:00

It's walking the fine line of being a positive leader of the federal public service, but at the same time pushing them and not being captive to them. ---Stephen Harper, CBC Radio Interview Watch what you wish for, as the saying goes. The fine leadership line has to be the right one and one of the styles clearly unworkable for Gen X and Y is not “my way or the highway” or something mushy called “

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-28278627522970422832010-07-01T19:44:00.001-04:002010-07-12T23:19:42.775-04:00

How long change does take! With starry eyes way back when Canada and I were younger, I envisioned progress as a given. My mother, Margie, a fighter for all things unfair, had infused me with hope and possibilities. Surely the only way was up. But not so fast! Well, on the whole, we are making progress: more democracies worldwide, more educated women in developed countries, many communicable

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-42260111446066552272010-06-08T23:01:00.001-04:002010-06-09T09:09:01.414-04:00

You can’t understand twenty-first- century politics with an eighteenth century brain. ---George Lakoff, The Political Mind Descartes’ theory of humans wasn’t quite right. We use emotion to reason and we can’t always be reasonable. How we emote and reason---about 98 per cent--- happens unconsciously. Seasoned political and non-political leaders know this well. But, it can backfire. As a

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-45393866347144200392010-05-16T20:19:00.001-04:002010-05-17T22:51:57.818-04:00

There’s no love from most airlines when it comes to slightly overweight luggage. The fees get slapped on even for a pound, unless the ticket agent takes pity. And that’s rare. Can you blame them with the price of oil, volcanic eruptions from Iceland and such? But, all airlines are not equal. Why is Southwest Airlines far more flexible than others? Other airlines just don’t get customer loyalty

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-32924935405705698572010-05-02T16:51:00.002-04:002010-05-03T19:51:08.207-04:00

Skill is insulation that wraps around neural circuits and grows according to certain signals. ---Daniel Coyle, The Talent Code Why do we admire talent?Highly talented persons are awesome to behold. They fill our minds and bodies with joy, amazement, admiration, and quite often relief because they cracked the intractable problem we were facing for which we wanted their help. They make our

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-40314790574721735842010-04-08T22:19:00.001-04:002010-04-18T21:47:07.912-04:00

Virtue is not a necessary qualification for heroic status, ---Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Heroes: Saviors, Traitors and Supermen George Bernard Shaw warned us long ago to “beware of the pursuit of the Superhuman”. His rationale: “It leads to an indiscriminate contempt for the Human”. Are we now in danger of vilifying Tiger Woods because he is only “human”? Or, are we ready to see a different kind of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-17740502115924834032010-03-23T19:29:00.001-04:002010-03-23T23:05:38.165-04:00

After paying $80.00 at the Loblaws Superstore checkout, Margie had to bag her own groceries. She was not in the 1 to 8 item so-called fast checkout line. Just a regular line where she expected regular service. When Margie objected, she was told it was for efficiency’s sake, to get more customers through. Margie was downright enraged. First, she objected to doing work for Loblaws so that it

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-35607921280328764232010-03-09T19:45:00.001-05:002010-03-10T17:19:44.438-05:00

During the Olympics, we lived in a surreal world. There were so many moments of joy and lots of disappointments too. Overall, the experience was uplifting as we celebrated the efforts of athletes to better their best. We were on a high, especially when Canada beat the US for hockey gold. It was a welcome relief from the downbeat news that dominates our media. Positive experiences and messages

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-58718379644711436792010-02-21T16:23:00.002-05:002010-02-22T13:48:16.123-05:00

Scratch a man or a woman and you’ll find a child. ~common saying Most would agree that when Tiger gave his 13 minute “forgive me” speech on February 19, 2010, he looked haggard and nervous, his emotions close to the surface. The commentary afterwards ranged from understanding to downright nasty: empathetic versus unforgiving. In the unfolding Tiger story, we are all actors struggling with “

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-18904866888788251712010-02-09T11:11:00.001-05:002010-02-13T21:48:48.595-05:00

Like any lifestyle habit, keeping our minds in good running order is a work in progress. Self-confidence, emotional resilience, happiness and calmness all come and go. They must be renewed daily and moment by moment. If we don’t work at it, our minds deteriorate. We can become mind wrecks as easily as coach potatoes. Trouble is it takes time to freshen up our minds and time is one resource we

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-87546648735739523482010-01-24T15:59:00.002-05:002010-01-31T15:46:59.286-05:00

No bond, no trust No trust, no credit No credit, no progress---Andrew Romano, (January 22, 2010). The Trouble with Barack. Newsweek. Scott Brown brought retail leadership to Massachusetts. Despite her solid track record and capabilities, it appears that Martha Coakley did not. Legions of political scientists, pollsters and pundits know this well. So do employees everywhere who wish their

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-78170594782338085992010-01-13T17:17:00.001-05:002010-01-15T11:25:49.165-05:00

Twitter has me wrapped around its little finger. I avoided venturing into its realm for at least a year and a half after one of my tech gurus urged me to do so. Twitter’s apparent silliness stopped me dead in my tracks. Who on earth would want to know what I am doing right now? So the conventional wisdom went in my circle of colleagues. No peer pressure there. The hardest part of any new “thing

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-58902895054810087482010-01-01T16:27:00.003-05:002010-01-01T16:36:31.880-05:00

The impact of 9-11 continues to reverberate as in the wise saying by Deng Ming-Dao centuries ago: “A deviation of a hair’s breadth at the center leads to an error of a hundred miles at the rim”. Now we are down to debating the definition of a “small purse” to get through airport security and customs and being stripped of our belongings as carry-ons.Four hours before my daughter’s flight out of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-33445683596281306692009-12-21T17:48:00.004-05:002009-12-21T17:56:39.041-05:00

Why does Abbas Jahangiri, who owns a bar and restaurant in Toronto, hand out cookies, sandwiches, blankets, clothing and tea almost every night starting at 2:00 am, as described in the December 20, 2009 Toronto Star, 24 hours of kindness? Evolutionary biologists might speculate that his ancestors have wired him to be compassionate or that he has transformed himself willingly.Our feelings are

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-31467624728998540732009-12-15T15:17:00.003-05:002009-12-15T15:20:30.683-05:00

Imagine growing up as a child prodigy where everyone “Oohs and awes” around you? Then, unlike many child prodigies, you grow up and become one as an adult. Through your eyes you look out into the world and what do you see? Lesser mortals? Fawning adults? Beautiful women falling all over you? Fearful competitors? The next mountain to climb? I can do it better?Whatever you see, that’s what you

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-23271880507925267582009-12-06T13:03:00.001-05:002009-12-06T13:07:42.556-05:00

If the media reports are any indication, the “get rid of Michael Ignatieff” sounds are becoming louder within the Liberal party. Bring in Bob Rae is the refrain. Will this fix the Liberals dismal showing in the polls?In that Bob Rae is more “warm and cuddly” than Michael Ignatieff, this might work. Our brains prefer such warmth. But the cost to the Liberal party could be worse. Changing

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-10858015588495648122009-11-20T20:49:00.001-05:002009-11-20T20:51:37.854-05:00

Channel hopping led me to an interview with the Coen brothers about their new film “A Serious Man”. While I tuned in somewhat to excerpts from and discussion about the film, I was more fascinated by their mannerisms and what makes them click.For the longest time, Ethan just hung his head as if he were someplace else while Joel answered most of the interviewer’s questions. With slumped shoulders

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-73213073366087948392009-11-06T18:14:00.002-05:002009-11-06T18:18:44.152-05:00

I met Steve three times at a local business networking meeting. On Tuesday, October 27 at about 9:00 am I bade him farewell along with others after we did our usual round of business. One week later (November 3) Steve sent out an email that his wife had “a raging case of pneumonia and possibly H1N1” and was in hospital. On November 5 Steve’s wife of 14 years passed away from H1N1 flu at Credit

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-16461615439333288012009-10-29T14:56:00.002-04:002009-10-29T15:00:02.402-04:00

Our family doc led us to believe a couple of months ago that he’d vaccinate us against the H1N1 flu virus. He’s still waiting for his supply. In the meantime, we are being encouraged to join three to six hour line-ups coming to our “town” shortly. Someone has skipped a beat here in common sense planning.Few if any of us pictured that we’d have to line up en masse on the basis of first come first

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-50312767404785110482009-10-15T23:10:00.002-04:002009-10-15T23:14:22.136-04:00

I never was very good at multiple choice questions because I could always see the complexity in the situation about which I was being asked. I eventually “trained” myself to be more deductive and logical, more black and white in order to pass the tests. However, it never seemed natural.I have since learned that my complexity style can be a blessing and a curse: a blessing to see the world from a

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-89276275327261209952009-09-30T21:41:00.002-04:002009-09-30T21:47:55.209-04:00

In his Ted.com presentation in July 2009 on motivation, Daniel Pink makes a significant point: there’s a gap between science (the evidence) and what business does. Nowhere is it more obvious than with the subject of rewards. His point: people don’t always perform better with bigger rewards. Because it depends on the problem. The more complex, the less effect an external reward. Yet, organizations

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-44207425148881643582009-09-09T12:58:00.004-04:002009-09-09T13:03:22.502-04:00

Language matters in leadership. Look at what has happened with President Obama’s use of the term “public option” for health care reform. Who would’ve have thought that hope and goodwill, the populace feelings that elevated Barack Obama to the American Presidency, would turn into fear and paranoia?In Canada, people like Margie, who has lived many of her years without universal health coverage,

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-76293444372975041202009-08-27T13:48:00.003-04:002009-08-27T13:51:47.600-04:00

Parents matter in the lifelong moral worldview of a person and the leadership philosophy thereof. In Edward Kennedy’s example, his mother was the teacher, his father the spark. Rose Kennedy, ever the torch bearer for the oppressed and the disadvantaged, inspired her youngest child and entire family with the source of great leadership: having a worthy cause.“Teddy” Kennedy’s policy legacy is proof

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-28683871431618420202009-08-19T15:45:00.004-04:002009-08-19T15:48:41.315-04:00

Now my retired mother is becoming extremely wary of travelling. She travelled all over the world with my father on business. But airplane crashes, VIA rail strikes and breakdowns, an ever-thickening U.S. border and no guarantee of protection from adversity by Canadian consular officials have dimmed her enthusiasm.The apparent lack of good judgment by the Canadian consular officials in Kenya with

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-74201295598603440272009-07-28T21:16:00.005-04:002009-07-29T15:16:55.845-04:00

Think of the jen ratio as a lens through which you might take stock of your attempt at leading a meaningful life.---D. Keltner, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful LifeDid you know that if you engage in five acts of kindness a week, you can elevate your personal well-being in lasting ways? You might think this is obvious. Try doing it while coping with the real world of chaos, much

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-23852731587859755832009-07-05T15:40:00.003-04:002009-07-05T15:43:36.060-04:00

When Michael asked for something, he got it. This was the great tragedy.----Uri GellerMichael Jackson’s great talent is undeniable. So is his tortured persona. Tragically, Jackson’s story is an extreme example of disaster catalyzed by the absence of accountability with some healthy built-in checks and balances.Organizational life can be frustrating and not always fulfilling. But one

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-30814854167539780672009-06-28T11:51:00.001-04:002009-06-28T11:53:12.664-04:00

Iran and Michael Jackson have one thing in common: the power of the Internet to report in warp speed the good with the bad. Citizen journalism is here to stay thanks to the Internet. With such transparency, leaders are faced with a demand for openness and transparency not necessarily within their comfort zones. This is a steep learning curve! All action is local, so the saying goes. Taken

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-8462426608767166742009-06-20T17:28:00.002-04:002009-06-20T17:32:16.408-04:00

I have a cartoon from one of the newspapers showing President Barack Obama responding to a request from Prime Minister Stephen Harper: “Well, I’ll cough on you if you insist, but I don’t think charisma is contagious. Now with additional Obama feats such as swatting a fly successfully within the tenth of a second required and charming the press corps with skillfully delivered good jokes, the bar

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-75864864884021864982009-05-30T21:23:00.004-04:002009-05-30T21:29:48.741-04:00

Each president is in a certain way a prisoner of the structure of power.---Hugo ChavezUntil former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush squared off in a debate in Toronto, I believed that the relentless thickening of the border between the United States and Canada was due mainly to ignorance, paranoia and myopia. I also believed that if we could “hit” those roadblocks head on with evidence

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-8751314313554091342009-05-17T23:01:00.002-04:002009-05-17T23:05:06.591-04:00

Attack ads work, so say marketing researchers. Like the movie “Doubt”, they inject a little unease about the person being attacked into the minds of some or many. We are assumed to be like Pavlov’s dog open to having our minds programmed. Is this OK with us? Do we accept this as par for the course to advance our society?Evolutionary psychologists might know why. Could it be that attack ads, of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-71039739532607791272009-04-30T16:16:00.003-04:002009-04-30T16:20:18.959-04:00

The “revolutionary physics” of our world can’t be managed by thinking in black and white. Are we convinced yet? The relentless onslaught of “surprises”, such as the Mexican swine flu, underscores that big brains are needed. Not just among leaders and managers. All of us. Whether we like it or not, we are being forced to anticipate, adapt and act speedily in the face of surprises and work harder

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-70742760908404899332009-04-15T09:55:00.004-04:002009-04-15T10:30:06.399-04:00

The warming of hearts and the shouts of joy from Susan Boyle’s extraordinary appearance on Britain's Got Talent reality TV show over the Easter weekend happened at just the right time. In a world searching for its moral compass, she symbolizes all that we must do to open up opportunities for each and every person on this planet.The gold that lies beneath is everywhere. It has been buried too long

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-40719608325018262202009-04-06T20:41:00.001-04:002009-04-06T20:43:49.057-04:00

The economic crisis we’re facing is not at root the result of too much fear but too little.---Thomas Homer-Dixon, (April 4, 2009), The Globe and MailHope versus fear, optimism versus pessimism. Two styles of oratory. What should a leader do?Some like Homer-Dixon say we need to strike up the fear band to new noisy levels so that we can see more clearly (reduce our delusional side). Others talk of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-39931978253079626322009-03-22T12:12:00.004-04:002009-03-22T12:16:40.909-04:00

Just after writing that the pundits were getting me down, I happened upon a program the next day on complaining less. OK. I’m guilty. I should have been kinder to the pundits. But, I do wish they’d be more constructive!CBC Sunday Morning profiled a Kansas City pastor, Will Bowen, who in 2006 started his congregation on complaining less. He gave out a purple bracelet to anyone who wanted to try:

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-66368548995402906162009-03-21T20:34:00.002-04:002009-03-21T20:37:47.154-04:00

I’m a news junkie as all things related to leadership fascinate me. But the latest cacophony among the pundits about the effectiveness and management of various bail-out plans is becoming unbearable. It’s like going into a noisy room where everyone is talking over each other and at times screeching. Look around and all you see are white teeth, coiffed heads and perfect make up (for the women). No

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-349044000887906572009-03-03T13:16:00.003-05:002009-03-03T13:21:06.536-05:00

There is no cure for birth and death except to enjoy the interval.---George SantyanaLessons in life come from surprising places. Husband Richard, who survived a scary heart event in August 2008, returned from one of his cardio-rehab classes with a relaxation CD featuring Eli Bay. That instantly took me back to the early days of my career as a dietitian and public health nutritionist when I was

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-20362348898767300422009-02-25T19:02:00.004-05:002009-03-03T13:16:50.260-05:00

We refused to leave the problems of our common welfare to the winds of chance and the hurricanes of disaster.---Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)I have frequently encouraged leaders to adopt “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” (BHAGS). Otherwise called stretch goals, they set a challenging line of sight for everyone in an organization, harnessing and focusing energy. I picked up the strategic thinking

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-73351994949703771802009-02-11T20:59:00.004-05:002009-03-03T13:15:55.696-05:00

Red helps us focus on detail. Blue on creative thoughts. So researchers at the University of British Columbia’s School of Business claim in a study with 600 graduate students published in the Journal of Science.Here’s another “soft” tool for a leader-manager’s tool kit. Decide what you want to achieve and change the setting accordingly as in live theatre.When you want your staff to think

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-81205584608557747762009-01-29T14:01:00.005-05:002009-03-03T13:15:11.982-05:00

Financial history is a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs, bubbles and bursts, manias and panics, shocks and crashes.---Niall Ferguson, The Ascent of MoneyWe are learning from our current worldwide financial crisis that the assessment of risk and uncertainty are two different concepts, two different thinking modes. Risk relates more to what we already know projected onto a number of future

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-70130731201664708072009-01-19T23:49:00.005-05:002009-03-03T13:13:46.454-05:00

The world’s in a big dance. Everyone is a belle at the ball of an unprecedented historical event. For those that get suspicious when walking into a room of smiling people, this must be unnerving. Yet, the warmth and goodwill swirling around our feet and heads seems infectious. Is it possible that the more generous feelings towards each other catalyzed by the arrival of Obama at our doorstep are

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-36058781869185833602009-01-05T11:41:00.005-05:002009-03-03T13:12:32.344-05:00

When I happened upon a CBC documentary on Barack Obama’s visit to Africa in August 2006, I couldn’t help think---is he for real? Over and over again he said to the ordinary folks, “I am here to listen and learn.” Frankly, I couldn’t believe my ears. The words almost sounded strange because they have not been commonly used by George W. Bush. “I’m the decider” has been more his style and

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-23061381600065420212008-12-07T17:24:00.004-05:002009-02-27T18:23:45.120-05:00

Engagement is the means by which there can be a shift in caring for the well-being of the whole, and the task of leader as convener is to produce that engagement.---Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging, p. 87.Engagement precedes problem-solving, persuasion, commitment, accountability and responsibility. It’s so powerful in its manifestation that the term “engaged” enjoys a permanent

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-30905587391899206012008-11-30T14:13:00.002-05:002009-02-27T18:27:17.181-05:00

Every interaction is a form of confrontation---a clash of priorities, a struggle of dignities, a battle of beliefs.--- P. Koestenbaum, In LaBarre, 2000, p. 222White water rafting is an apt metaphor for surviving in our current environment. Times of crisis, which keep rolling in one after another, starkly show whether a leader can adapt or not. Times of crisis test the leadership within each of us

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-41755943091841582272008-11-09T19:36:00.002-05:002009-02-27T18:30:40.843-05:00

The Republicans didn’t have a chance against Obama given the context of fear from which Americans wanted to escape. According to neuroscience, we all hold to a greater or lesser extent two moral world views---conservative and progressive. Sometimes, we hold both at the same time on an issue-specific basis. These modes of thought are hard-wired into our brains through biology and experience. They

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-39573807480634997962008-10-26T20:52:00.004-04:002009-02-27T18:42:27.507-05:00

If you think life is always improving, you are going to miss half of it.---David WhyteTurbulent times call for special managerial skills---helping teams walk together through the chaos with the confidence that a new and stronger order will arise out of the ashes of the old. Just like a forest fire enables new growth.This is life but we as a rule do not like such unpredictability and uncertainty.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-51964428836645668942008-10-22T21:48:00.003-04:002009-02-27T18:38:16.978-05:00

Our fascination with Barack Obama and Sarah Palin underscores the power of emotions in a leader’s “ratings”. That ability to connect is gate number one. Substance comes later as we ponder who will step up to the leadership challenge. Stephane Dion never had a chance as he could not open his emotional gate enough.A story by Peter Newman in the October 22, 2008 Globe and Mail brought the mystery of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-37219827409091251732008-09-30T10:36:00.004-04:002009-02-27T18:45:09.072-05:00

These are interesting and exciting times for democracy. Pure-bred capitalism has shown its ugly side. Main Street Canada and America are showing signs of revolt. The spirit of involvement in our collective destiny is gaining momentum, particularly in the United States and judging by media commentary, also in Canada. Perhaps the chasm in values between those who govern and those being governed

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-24546537520303249792008-09-21T20:59:00.004-04:002009-02-27T18:48:37.236-05:00

What’s the difference between a campaign of ‘hard questions’ about momentous issues and a carnival of lies? Lipstick.---David Olive (September 20, 2008). Toronto StarAs some people like to say, “There’s a reason for everything”. Maybe Sarah Palin showed up in our lives because we needed a little more levity in a generally somber political environment. Fear, violence, climate upheaval and too much

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-14658875414863208322008-09-01T13:02:00.003-04:002009-02-27T18:51:00.736-05:00

Learning teacheth more in one year than experience in 20, and learning teacheth safely, when experience maketh more miserable than wise…it is costly wisdom that is bought by experience.--- Roger Ascham (1515-1568) in The Street MasterThe listeriosis outbreak traced to one Maple Leaf Foods plant in northern Toronto glaringly shines a light on the ethical and moral dilemmas underlying leadership.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-28664634398970675982008-08-26T15:34:00.004-04:002009-02-27T18:53:48.926-05:00

Life seeks to organize so that more life can flourish. Systems are friendlier to life. They provide support and stability. They also provide more freedom for individual experimentation.---Margaret Wheatley, A Simpler Way, p.33.The Chinese have done Canadian Sports a favour. By doing the job so well, they brought to the foreground the serious inadequacies in our system, starting at the political

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-38857506828935997582008-08-10T15:01:00.002-04:002009-02-27T18:55:06.029-05:00

When there is so much to work on to become a more effective leader, it’s heartening to find something that’s easy. Empathy, a form of social intelligence, is a desirable capability for leaders and managers. How to become more empathetic remains an enigma for many.One very effective way is to work on “being present” with another. This is commonly wrapped up in the term “active listening”. Those

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-2903167623125628602008-07-26T17:52:00.002-04:002008-07-26T17:56:04.969-04:00

Imagine around every corner in your organization, you didn’t hear the din of quiet but the buzz of live chatter. To your left and right you see small groups of your colleagues immersed in excited conversation around of all things—a blackboard (or, a chalkboard depending on the term used when you were growing up). Ideas are filling the board. People are debating, rubbing out and adding ideas.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-16645042313881379392008-07-06T12:05:00.003-04:002008-07-06T12:10:05.955-04:00

Let’s hope that the G-8 leaders are listening to a younger generation of advisors and more seasoned pros who are strategic thinkers. Based on media reporting so far, they seem stuck in the past unable to grasp that it’s time to be inclusive, let alone on trend with the pressing global issues.A “groundswell” mindset means the balance of power is no longer within the G-8. It’s more than G-13 and G-

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-57092817108838299652008-07-05T11:26:00.002-04:002008-10-28T21:59:20.381-04:00

Personality specialists have long touted “openness” as one of the healthiest traits for surviving and thriving in our complex, chaotic world. Economists and urban planners note that organizations and city-regions with “openness personalities” have a better chance at prosperity than those which are not. Alan Greenspan, retired Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, characterizes the ability or talent

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-90805471398335024062008-06-08T17:44:00.002-04:002008-06-08T17:47:17.274-04:00

The pundits have been out in full force largely criticizing Hillary Clinton for fighting to the bitter end. If the situation were sports, would they be so quick to rest her case? As we know in golf, tennis, horse races, soccer, basketball, hockey and the like, the competitive situation can change drastically in a flash. It matters to persist even in the face of overwhelming odds. Throwing in the

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-64087165370611945652008-05-24T13:58:00.001-04:002008-05-24T14:01:24.325-04:00

Anyone who can withstand the grueling nature of the United States Presidential nominations’ race deserves a gold Olympic medal. It has to be adrenalin and a steady diet of optimism that keeps the candidates upright and awake! In a world in which top and middle management leaders are on overload most of the time, we can identify somewhat with the brutal challenges of leading.Now, with the dial

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-14791103091914509272008-05-14T16:44:00.001-04:002008-05-14T16:47:07.985-04:00

At first, I was flummoxed by Annika Sorenstam’s surprise announcement that she was “stepping away from competitive golf” at the end of the 2008 season. As one of the greatest female golfers of all time and with many more playable years left, why, at age 37, would she do that?Watching her press conference and many others that followed, I began to understand---the peacefulness of her demeanor spoke

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-38992385128955150332008-04-20T16:49:00.001-04:002008-04-20T16:52:12.459-04:00

Emotional intelligence refers to an ability to recognize the meanings of emotions and their relationships, and to reason and problem-solve on the basis of them…it is the capacity to perceive emotions, assimilate emotion-related feelings, understand the information of these emotions, and manage them.---Mayer, et al We all know what it’s like to grieve for a loved one. So, when someone out of the

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-36303940076281192752008-04-13T14:12:00.002-04:002008-04-13T14:18:03.989-04:00

Forget your perfect offering.There is a crack in everything.---Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.---Zen ProverbAll the significant battles are waged within the self.---Zen ProverbLife seeks order in a disorderly way.---Margaret Wheatley, A Simpler WayEvery spring brings our collective sigh of relief that winter has past and fresh growth is upon us. With new

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-62339270679220555052008-03-30T23:01:00.002-04:002008-03-30T23:03:59.264-04:00

The success of Earth Hour participation around the globe demonstrated that small actions combined with big ideas are a powerful force for change. Such awareness, particularly when the action is simple, sets the stage for deeper and longer term behaviour change.The sense of community the campaign engendered added to the potency of the idea. Our minds are forever imprinted with the entire

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-26852365867102543052008-03-17T13:48:00.002-04:002008-03-17T13:51:15.616-04:00

Simplistically-speaking democratic delegates are in a bind. Vote for Hillary if you want depth or deep experience. Or, if breadth is the requirement, a symbol of diversity and apparent open-mindedness, vote for Obama. Both are vital for effective leadership. Too bad one of the candidates doesn’t measure up significantly on both. An either-or choice is making life difficult for the Democrats.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-24112944482198306902008-02-27T13:54:00.001-05:002008-02-27T13:57:25.916-05:00

As the flow of ink becomes exponential describing and analyzing the escalating battle between two able presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, we search to identify and feel comfortable with the forces in play. Many pundits refer to Obama’s appeal as a “movement”, the likes of which we have not seen since the beginning of the civil rights era or the challenges to the status quo

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-30000508947401439052008-02-13T13:16:00.002-05:002008-02-13T13:21:29.899-05:00

The American Presidential primaries have ignited a firestorm of civil participation not seen in a long time. This is good. Something is getting to the hearts of people across all spectrums. Could this be an original sound of rediscovered meaning and purpose in a world that has veered too far from what it takes to lead an ordinary life?Hands down, Barack Obama has led the way with his

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-59072134467529424892008-02-03T13:22:00.000-05:002008-02-03T13:33:34.927-05:00

I had the pleasure of observing a Michael Buble tour up close and personal recently. I discovered a welcoming, well-run organization with a pervasive spirit of fun mixed with---as the younger generation says--- “awesome” virtuosity. With talk of the rise of a leisure economy again, this could be a signal of things to come for managers and leaders working with the “twenty and thirty-something”

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-13325909143901949822008-01-31T14:35:00.000-05:002008-01-31T14:38:18.418-05:00

The presence of Tiger Woods in a tournament causes higher-skill PGA golfers’ tournament scores to slump. This can have implications for “tournament style” competitions in organizations when one person far outshines everyone else.According to Jennifer Brown, a researcher from the University of California in Berkeley, California, the other top pro golfers’ scores are 0.8 strokes higher when Tiger

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-14533865741384003732008-01-13T14:41:00.000-05:002008-01-13T14:45:09.726-05:00

It tantalizes us. It provokes us, this perplexing leadership trait called “charisma”. At the same time, we crave it and we fear it, as we do not want to lose our critical judgment or look silly. We also wish we could have more of it for ourselves as the media reminds us over and over again---people love it.Barack Obama has struck a chord deep in the American psyche. It’s about being tired of

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-29953744621488538492007-12-31T23:39:00.000-05:002008-01-01T13:02:13.715-05:00

Living in a developed country where the pace of change seems too fast can lull us into the illusion of progress. With the advantage of hindsight, change is chaotic and non-linear and often very slow in coming.We are, in reality, just specks in the sand in the long course of human history. So, global events remind us such as Pakistan’s situation. Mahatma Gandhi fought his entire adult life for

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-17973305485667689472007-12-12T23:11:00.000-05:002007-12-12T23:15:24.462-05:00

Some people get downright grumpy when they walk into a room where everyone looks happy. Or, they become wary. Maybe it’s that such apparent happiness is not a true reflection of life, in general, and certainly not that of a leader or manager. On the contrary it’s often full of one issue after another, too much to do, too little time, too many interruptions and the stress of dealing with the

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-90459445084121794482007-11-30T17:11:00.000-05:002007-11-30T17:14:26.990-05:00

I watched the great actor Ben Kingsley respond to a young aspiring actor’s question as to how to hold in his impatience. Ben evoked the metaphor of a tribe and that actors are like hunters. Eager to use their bow and arrows in pursuit of the hunt. Eager to get going.But Ben counselled that a good mentor, knowing that the actor is not quite ready for the stage, would only give him an arrow with no

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-59945701169718826532007-11-06T19:55:00.000-05:002008-01-13T14:51:24.348-05:00

As reported in one newspaper, Mark Grimes, a Toronto City Councilor is a H.O.A.G. (a hell of a "guy"). Judging from what is written about Stephane Dion, Canada’s official leader of the opposition, he has a little of the H.O.A.G. factor—just a whiff. Our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, comes across in the media commentary as a cold, authoritarian leader. He does not make the grade as a H.O.A.G.

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-76617476451239706932007-10-27T16:19:00.000-04:002007-10-27T16:22:52.675-04:00

One thing is for sure. We’re in an era of disasters, many of which are due to urban sprawl and people in places that nature reclaims as its own on a predictable basis. You’d think we’d learn.But Calgary journalist Chris Turner writes in his uplifting book, The Geography of Hope, we do learn and its time to dream rather than despair. His book is chock full of little stories where people all over

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-7306733858495981532007-10-01T15:25:00.001-04:002007-10-01T15:28:31.324-04:00

Malcolm Gladwell author of Blink and The Tipping Point rightly contends that workforces 20 to 30 years from now will have to be cognitively smarter to meet the challenges of complexity. He uses the term “thoughtful”. Ronald Heifetz at Harvard prefers the term “fourth consciousness” particularly for those who lead. MIT’s Peter Senge and others in the leadership development business have

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-74413099358185203592007-09-22T18:50:00.000-04:002007-09-22T18:53:42.970-04:00

Charisma, that ethereal and desirable quality of effective leadership, is not easy to come by, so goes conventional wisdom. Many believe, “you either have it or you don’t”. Black or white.But, here’s another take on the subject: passionate leaders who are fuelled by a “cause” do emanate a charm and a light that people pay attention to. That lightness of being, so to speak, provided it is

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-74372235361861646862007-09-08T16:59:00.000-04:002007-09-08T17:05:23.822-04:00

Since 9/11, the insanity of rage, blame and retaliation lurks more acutely in the background of our lives, personally and professionally. The perpetual wars against terror, large and small, permeate civil discourse too often at the expense of the things that really matter. Sporadic or chronic “wars” in the workplace add to the aura of an era of discontent fed by terrorism and its ripple effect:

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-14024498800125505792007-08-25T15:48:00.000-04:002007-08-25T15:52:33.006-04:00

In that scarcely a week goes by without a product recall, most notably from China these days, risk management continues to be an “in your face” discipline for leaders, best done daily not occasionally. This is fodder for pessimists (“I told you so.”). For those more positively inclined, a “this did not need to happen attitude” may still prevail. Who is right here? Is the cult of positive thinking

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-88232120909305458142007-08-14T13:06:00.000-04:002007-08-14T13:10:49.176-04:00

This is the one time of year that the season helps us easily get in touch with our natural selves. Many people taking vacation, being enveloped in the beauty of the outdoors and its calming capacity. All of us feeling just a little less perpetually stressed because of the opportunity to take a break.If only we could reproduce that feeling of being relaxed and less in emotional turmoil more

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-77952896094906357602007-08-04T19:10:00.001-04:002007-08-04T19:12:52.808-04:00

Here we go again: more infrastructure crises that need not have happened. This week’s collapse of a major bridge in Minnesota is becoming a recurring nightmare about public safety. The pattern is all too familiar. Somewhere along the line, leaders in key positions have made decisions, or passed on making decisions that would have prevented catastrophe.It’s not as if there is a lack of solid data

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370339.post-67041411887042522552007-07-27T10:54:00.001-04:002007-07-27T10:57:41.920-04:00

After a thrilling British Open in which Ireland’s Padraig Hamilton outwitted Sergio Garcia, we’re awed again by Hunter Mahan’s opening round of 62 at the Canadian Open. While most of us are content to boast a hole-in-one once in our amateur golf careers, Hunter racked up three eagles in a game. He attributes his current round of success with improvements to his mind. In his words: “My mind is

Dr. Linda E. Pickardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14912492213716209559noreply@blogger.com0