What Leaders Can Learn from Michael Jackson

What Leaders Can Learn from Michael Jackson

I was stunned when I heard about Michael Jackson's untimely death last week. As a huge Thriller fan,  I remember watching Jackson and being captivated by his music, his dancing, and his beat. He really was a musical genius. I never paid too much to the tabloid headlines swirling around his life. However, in the last few days, given the constant news coverage about Michael Jackson and his life on Larry King Live, 20/20, and other news shows, I got to thinking what leaders might be able to learn from Michael Jackson's life, and how it ties in to organizational tangles. One category of tangles that I often encounter in my work as an executive coach are what I call individual or internal tangles.

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What Leaders Can Learn from Twitter, Facebook, and #Iran Election?
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What Leaders Can Learn from Twitter, Facebook, and #Iran Election?

For the past ten days, I have been glued to the media and social networking sites, especially Twitter. I am not alone.  I have been awed by the level of interest, caring, and actions taken by so many after the June 12 election. As I sat in my office, watching my computer screen, I felt empowered to take a small step, to lend my voice of support to a situation unfolding halfway around the globe. I followed #Iran election, with thousands joining the conversation every millisecond. I retweeted (RT) messages that provided helpful information and posted my own thoughts. I watched as Facebook friends joined in the discussion and became a fan of sites allegedly providing credible information. I didn’t know if I was making any difference at all, but felt I was a part of something historical, important, and much bigger than me.  

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Leaders: Ignore Warning Signs at Our Mutual Peril
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Leaders: Ignore Warning Signs at Our Mutual Peril

This blog typically focuses on business leadership topics related to what I call organizational tangles. Today I focus on a different type of tangle, a Cascade Tangle, and one that might well ensnare us all. Cascade Tangles are a multi-system mess that like dominoes, result in a cascade of failure. The recent financial meltdown appears to be a result of the failure of multiple systems, and like a house of cards, may still be on the brink of collapse.

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Generosity and Organizational Tangles
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Generosity and Organizational Tangles

A colleague of mine just sent me this video clip—Gesto de Amor. This was a first-place winner for commercial short films at the Cannes Film Festival. This film illustrates a large and personal act of generosity. I have found that small acts of generosity—listening deeply to others, giving others the benefit of the doubt, asking questions before reacting—all contribute to collaboration, better thinking, and higher productivity. What act of generosity have you performed today?

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