By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you preserve and protect your values. Reading time: 2:23.

The six yo-yos flanking the side of the Chief Executive Officer’s desk like so many-colored safety switch buttons, quickly became a conversation piece for every first time visitor.

And whenever he saw that familiar quizzical look, the CEO was only too happy to share the Yo-yo Lore that turned his desk into a toy chest of sorts.

“No, no, no I’m NOT having my second childhood and no I’m not a yo-yo dieter,” he smiled.

“No yo-yos are too important to be used only as toys or as negative reminders of simplistic observations that what goes up must come down and all those variables that go with that kind of thinking.”

The visitor learns that the yo-yo display on his desk was gift from his direct reports. They were intrigued with his concept of principle-centered, values-based leadership that the then new CEO referenced in his first speech to the company.

“The most effective leaders are like a yo-yo,” the CEO declared to surprised looks in his company-wide audience assessing their new leader for the first time.

Leaders by definition, the CEO explained, are always attached to something. They always come with strings attached. Strings of cultural norms and behaviors. Strings of values and truths. Strings that make you, you. Continue reading →