Tag Archives: do something

Becoming a SumBody

By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to spur responsible problem solving. Reading time: 3:51

When Charles Lindbergh became the first solo pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, a business executive smirked: “It would have been even more remarkable if he had done it with a committee. “

a committeeAfter all, it takes a real leader with persistence to untie the red tape that is wrapped around most committees. It takes a real leader with conviction to sort through all the hidden agenda. It takes a real leader with purpose to fight off the prevailing kick-the-can down the street syndrome that plagues most committees.

Indeed, too many committees don’t commit. Too many committees spin their wheels in the sand of consensus. Too many committees drive to assumptions more than arrive at conclusions.

But leaders do commit. They don’t hide behind committees or reports. They run after problems -not away from them. They weigh in rather than wait on.

Leaders are always on a mission with a vision especially when the specter of a committee threatens to drive many a project into the proverbial ditch with its powers of procrastination and indecision. No matter if those committees are comprised with feckless people willing to let others assume responsibility like those in the story of Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody by that famous author Anonymous.

There was an important job to be done
and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it.

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Game On: Turn on Your Shot Clock

By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you become more decisive. Reading time: 3:44

It’s the NBA –the National Basketball Association—in action. Pistons vs. the Lakers. And the Pistons win, 19-18 in the lowest-scoring game in NBA history.

Of course that’s back in 1950, four years before the introduction of the 24-second shot clock that changed the game of professional basketball and gave us all an interesting insight into effective leadership:

Deadlines are Lifelines.

Without a deadline -without a shot clock counting down that specific deadline to spark a specific action-both teams could stall the game and literally play by themselves, keeping the ball away from the opposing team.

So players could in essence play catch with each other and frustrate their opponents until making the best percentage shot. They had way too much time on their hands and did what comes natural in those circumstances—nothing.

Until Danny Biasone stepped in. The owner of the Syracuse Nationals had enough of this pass-the-ball –around style of basketball. As a leader he wanted to see action. Continue reading