Tag: smart leaders

What Smart Leaders Do When They are the Problem

October 8, 2018 | By | Add a Comment

Sometimes I want to give the CEOs I know a T-shirt that says, “I’m right!” This is the message they convey when they say, “These guys just don’t get it.” “I’ve told them a hundred times to stop doing… and yet they still do it.” Smart executives are often right, but I’m not sure being right is what matters. When a leader’s tone is defensive, zealous, and self-righteous, she or he is ineffective at influencing others. This is what happens when we are convinced everyone else is the problem. Tennis Lessons Consider Serena Williams’s recent tirade in the championship match at this year’s U.S. Open. This video clip is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it. Serena was given […]

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How Smart Leaders Can Stop Doing Stupid Things: Three Steps to Increase Your Self-Mastery

March 5, 2018 | By | Add a Comment

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. – Victor Frankl I used to be a customer service representative’s nightmare: indignant, self-righteous and impersonal. I rationalized my behavior as I turned human beings into objects. I relented only when someone met my demands and said the equivalent of, “You’re right, we’re wrong.” As embarrassing as all this is to admit, I wish I could say I reserved this behavior only for customer service representatives. Leaders Know Better Leaders can be reactive. Reactivity can look aggressive or passive. It can come in the form of loud anger as well as over-thinking, emotional […]

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My Interview with ColoradoBiz Magazine

September 14, 2011 | By | Add a Comment

  I was interviewed recently for ColoradoBiz Magazine on a range of topics including leadership, coaching, mentoring and one stupid thing that smart leaders do. Watch the 7 minute video below: Here is a link to the article. http://www.cobizmag.com/articles/the-leadership-lattice-brian-gast/

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