In this series, we’re talking about leadership lessons I learned from banking. One bank I examined had a bank president named Ken. While reviewing a past due loan report, I was surprised to discover a large loan that was one year past due but not listed on their problem loan list. When I asked Ken about it, he said he ...
As I reflect on my career, I realize that early on I made some poor decisions out of my lack of maturity. One time, after working a grueling 70-hour week, I was reprimanded by a supervisor I didn’t respect, and one of our partners, for something I felt was unwarranted. Later that day, that supervisor piled a large stack of ...
Someone backed into my wife’s car and left a dent and drove away. When my wife shared with the body shop owner what had happened, he told Kathy that he heard one even worse. One of his customers returned from a store to find their car damaged and the following note on her car. “Several people watched me back ...
In the 1990s, I was building a new consulting business during the growing Dot-com bubble. I found a company that seemed knowledgeable about the internet and hired them to develop our website. One question I should have asked was, “What happens to my website if your company goes out of business?” When that vendor closed, like many did, I ...
Sportswriter, Terry Pluto, interviewed Pastor Chuck Myricks about some tips on living out your faith at work. Pastor Myricks worked in sales and marketing for IBM and Word Records prior to becoming a pastor. Pastor Myricks first tip is to be consistent. Myricks points out that you are at work to work. Peers must trust you. If you take thirty-minute ...
In memory of Abraham Lincoln’s February 12th birthday, it seems appropriate to focus on one of his famous quotes. President Lincoln once said, “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is and the tree is the real thing.” Our online world now has businesses focused on repairing or modifying reputations. ...
The Securities Exchange Commission recently levied a $100 million fine against the public accounting firm Ernst and Young. EY employees were found to be cheating on ethics exams and EY reportedly deceived the SEC about the cheating. "It's simply outrageous that the very professionals responsible for catching cheating by clients cheated on ethics exams," the SEC said in a ...
Years ago, I observed a boss of mine who had a habit of smiling, praising and pouring on accolades to peers in his midst. However, when his peer left, his demeanor changed, and he would begin slandering and revealing his true disdain for each of them. This had a big impact on me, because when I was with him, he ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
