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Articles from Rand Golletz | Selfgrowth.com
- What Do You Stand For? - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2010 from Rand GolletzSomeone once said that "if you don’t stand for something, you'll DO just about anything." My hero, Jim Rohn, once said that the foundation for having a successful life is having a personal philosophy. I agree with both of those assertions. Having "rules of the road" for our lives can help us to ...
Views: 3857(1 vote) - Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Lessons For You - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2012 from Rand GolletzJim Harbaugh has been successful at every level in football. In college at the University of Michigan, he was an All-American quarterback. As the leader of the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts’ offenses, he was known as a modestly talented but gritty, independent and inspirational ...
Views: 3838 - Meet the Real Nick Saban – Executive Par Excellence - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2013 from Rand GolletzFor many of us, the name Nick Saban conjures up the image of a cold, calculating automaton – grim, frowning, win-at-all-costs football coach who cares more about the score of his games and the margin of his victories than the development of the young men at the University of Alabama. Until I did ...
Views: 2765(1 vote) - Buck Showalter's Leadership Lessons - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2012 from Rand Golletz"I'm happy for the players; I didn't do this," he said. "All I did was create an atmosphere of accountability. When you see something done the wrong way, you say, 'Hey, that ain't good enough.' And after a while you get the players to do that for each other. It's about helping them take ...
Views: 2336 - Meet Roy Halladay – The Phillies Mr. Mental Toughness - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2012 from Rand GolletzIf you’re not a baseball fan, you may not know his name. Here’s a primer: He’s the best pitcher in baseball. That’s not only my opinion; it’s the overwhelming opinion of his peers. Complete games – Halladay. Innings pitched – Halladay. Earned run average – Halladay. Average wins per season – ...
Views: 2201 - The Four Basic Rules for Personal and Professional Success - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2014 from Rand GolletzWhen I went into business for myself over a dozen years ago after spending decades as a corporate executive, I knew pretty quickly that I needed help building my business. I needed some "rules of the road." I also needed perspective and equanimity that I simply did not have. I knew how to do ...
Views: 2047 - Don't Succumb to the "Boiled Frog" Syndrome - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2012 from Rand GolletzTake a six-quart pan. Fill it with water. Put it on the oven. Turn the heat on high. While waiting for the water to reach a rolling boil, catch one mid-sized frog. When the water achieves that boil, toss the frog in. Don't worry; the frog won't get hurt. The shock of the temperature change will ...
Views: 1974 - When is the Sale Complete? - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2015 from Rand GolletzYou just closed a huge deal; time to celebrate. Another buyer has decided that you da man. Time to cash the check and move on to the next opportunity. Not so fast, Mr./Ms. Wonderful! You've neglected Rule #1 in marketing: Customer expectations begin just as your attentiveness begins to ...
Views: 1749 - Don't Blame Gravity - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2015 from Rand GolletzPicture this: A light plane goes down in the Arizona desert. A team from the NTSB descends on the scene to investigate what happened. After three months of rigorous study and analysis, they're ready to report. They call a news conference. The NTSB administrator approaches the podium. You've ...
Views: 1636 - Do Your Beliefs Guide Your Behavior: What Do You Believe, Where Do You Stand and How Are You Doing? - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2014 from Rand GolletzIf you want to live your life with meaning, you must reflect on the things that are important to you, and then act on what you discern. This goes for your professional life as well as your life overall. Every once in a while, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and document your beliefs ...
Views: 1626 - Do You Lead A "Linear Life?" - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2014 from Rand Golletz"Life is an endless unfolding, and if we wish it to be, an endless process of self-discovery, an endless and unpredictable dialogue between our own potentialities and the life situations in which we find ourselves. By potentialities I mean not just intellectual gifts but the full range of one's ...
Views: 1623 - What the HR Pros and Headhunters Don’t Tell You About Your Job Search - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2013 from Rand GolletzYou’re looking for a new job. Either you have your eyes on a promotion with your current employer or you’re looking for a new job in a new place. You’ve read the “how to write a killer résumé” books, and you can talk at length about all of your functional responsibilities. It doesn’t ...
Views: 1594(1 vote) - Are You A Victim of Your Thinking? - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2015 from Rand GolletzMy business passion is helping executives get out of their own way. Some of that work involves helping them come to terms with the business implications of the following: The human brain is geared, at least in part, to keep us comfortable and that "comfort" rather than "truth" predisposes us to ...
Views: 1576 - What Were Bill Walsh's Secrets of Success? - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2015 from Rand GolletzBill Walsh is generally considered to be the second best coach in the history of the NFL (after Lombardi). People called him a genius because he concocted novel offenses. As head coach and President of the San Francisco 49ers in the 80s, he won four Super Bowls. He embodied technical expertise, ...
Views: 1574 - How I Became a Libertarian - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2014 from Rand GolletzHere's my story: When I began voting in the 1970s, I was a staunch Democrat. My view of life was idealistic rather than tragic ("tragic" as in the context of Greek tragedies), and my belief was that government could be a force for good. Over time, as I assessed the results of government ...
Views: 1554 - How to Develop Real Vision - Mark Bertolini's Story - by Submitted on Aug 10, 2015 from Rand GolletzThe concept of “change” is incremental and limited. It’s an extrapolation of the present with some new stuff added and some current stuff extracted. By anchoring to “what was” as a starting point, it’s often insufficiently ambitious. “Transformation” on the other hand, begins with a vision of ...
Views: 1549 - Dysfunctional Habits Of Highly Functioning Leaders - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2012 from Rand GolletzMy mission is “to help business leaders discover and achieve their potential.” One of the things that I discover is that many business leaders – more than half – limit their success because of inadequate attention to reflection and self-examination. My clients would say that I’m not prone to ...
Views: 1539(1 vote) - Additional Thoughts: Needs, Wants, Values and Priorities - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2012 from Rand GolletzI once worked with an executive who stated with certitude that his family was his number one priority. He also lamented the fact that he spent virtually no time with his wife and kids. I responded that priorities are defined by how and where we spend our time and that, by definition, his family ...
Views: 1509 - Want Success? Discard Hardheadness for Tough Mindedness - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2010 from Rand GolletzMost business executives talk about the importance of collaborating with others. When it comes to execution, however, their behavior often violates this espoused belief. Why? Because "getting things done" becomes a higher priority than "getting people on board." Fearing being perceived as ...
Views: 1492(3 votes) - Are Your Financial Projections Pro Forma or Bull Sheeta? - by Submitted on May 06, 2014 from Rand GolletzI highly recommend Berkshire-Hathaway's annual report for your pleasure, amusement and education, even for those of you who don't enjoy reading business publications. More specifically, I recommend chairman Warren Buffet's annual message to shareholders. Buffet always educates and ...
Views: 1491 - Own Your Life! - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2013 from Rand GolletzMy new client, Tony, had some "issues." (Don’t we all?) A superb thinker and analytical problem-solver who astounded his co-workers with his intellect, he also got periodically derailed. When his boss (the CEO) criticized his work, Tony would "shut down" for prolonged periods of time. ...
Views: 1489 - Get Ready for Round 2 - by Submitted on May 09, 2010 from Rand GolletzI keep hearing pundits and business people insisting that our economy is getting better. In the very short run, that might be true, but WHO is going to pay for our massive $13 trillion ($10 trillion of it incurred in the last year) federal debt? No one seems to have an answer to that question. ...
Views: 1477 - Do You Have the Necessary Discipline? - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2017 from Rand GolletzI believe 100% in the importance of "mindset" in successfully accomplishing goals. If you believe in your heart of hearts that you either don't deserve success or lack confidence, you simply will not. All of your efforts will be in vain because you are programmed to fail. How can you tell if ...
Views: 1468 - Learn a Big Lesson From AIG - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2010 from Rand GolletzAbout 15 years ago, I got a call from a lead partner at one of the largest executive recruiting firms asking if I’d be interested in talking to Mr. Hank Greenburg about a senior level job at AIG. That company was the big dog in property and casualty insurance and was led by an iconic figure ...
Views: 1454(6 votes) - The Power of Your Internal Voice - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2012 from Rand GolletzI’ve written on a number of occasions about the importance of objectivity and fact-based decision-making. In managing your business, it’s critical that you make decisions based, as much as possible, on the evidence. Intuition certainly has its place in decision-making, but it has to be ...
Views: 1449 - No Blame; No Victimhood; No Kidding - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2017 from Rand GolletzWhenever I discuss my perspective on this subject with others, it stimulates “but what about” questions. “But what about the holocaust?” “But what about Cambodia in the 70s?” You get the idea. My retort to those people is always the same; their reaction to my retort is always the same; the ...
Views: 1447 - This Is A Test - Just the Facts - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2016 from Rand GolletzI've often written in the past about decision-making biases. ALL OF US rely to some degree on decision-making approaches that yield suboptimum results. Most of those are unconscious. An example is the human tendency to use past experiences, even if statistically insufficient, to make critical ...
Views: 1401 - Get to Know Pete Carroll - by Submitted on Oct 05, 2013 from Rand GolletzSeveral years ago, Pete Carroll was the head football coach at the University of Southern California. During his tenure, the school won three NCAA championships. In the last 20 years, only Nick Saban has enjoyed a better record as a college football coach. Pete left USC in advance of a ...
Views: 1399 - Do You Capitalize On Leverage? - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2016 from Rand GolletzIn the real estate world, we read and hear a lot about the power of leverage. Essentially, it means investing a limited amount of personal cash to geometrically increase net worth. Let's say you buy a piece of rental property for $300,000 with a down payment of 20%. You laid out $60,000. The ...
Views: 1387 - It's Just Gravity - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2012 from Rand GolletzPicture this: A light plane goes down in the Arizona desert. A team from the NTSB descends on the scene to investigate what happened. After three months of rigorous study and analysis, they're ready to report. They call a news conference. The NTSB administrator approaches the podium. You've seen ...
Views: 1360 - Leadership Attributes: How Do You Stack Up? - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2016 from Rand GolletzOne of the most popular ongoing debates of the last twenty years concerns the distinctions between management and leadership, and the relative importance of each to organizational success. John Kotter of the Harvard Business School once cited “alignment” as the most critical difference. ...
Views: 1353 - Are Your Values Explicit? - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2013 from Rand Golletz"You know nothing about me. I was lost long before the [Berlin] Wall fell. I was once destined to become a man much like yourself: true-hearted; determined; full of purpose, but … character is easier kept than recovered. We cannot control the things that life does to us. They are done before you ...
Views: 1330 - The Brutal Truth: Get Real, Get Tough, Get Going - by Submitted on Nov 10, 2012 from Rand GolletzI was shopping for a new tennis racquet in a store in northern Montgomery County, Maryland. It had recently changed hands after the prior owner had declared bankruptcy. The new proprietor greeted me with a hearty “good morning.” I inquired as to the details of the transfer of ownership. He ...
Views: 1327 - Do You Ask Compelling Questions? - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2014 from Rand GolletzStrategy is an approach to managerial leadership – both a state of mind and a bias for relevant action. It's not merely a process to create plans. The days are gone during which attention to strategy could be episodic. At one time, even strongly managed and adroitly led organizations created ...
Views: 1304 - Do You Understand the Power of Your Voice? - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2014 from Rand GolletzI talk to strangers all the time. Elevators, department stores, office buildings, Whole Foods and gas stations are some of my favorite places to engage people in conversation. I've actually met some really interesting people that way. I enjoy hearing people's "stories:" HOW they became WHO they ...
Views: 1298 - Talent Management – The Big Questions - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2012 from Rand GolletzIf you want good answers, you have to ask good questions. If you want compelling, potentially life or business changing answers, you have to ask huge questions. I refer to these, simply, as the “big questions.” What are big questions? They’re questions that assault the status quo. They ...
Views: 1297 - The One Absolute Requirement For Becoming Valuable and Successful - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2013 from Rand GolletzLast week, I was listening to one of our pop culture icons/movie stars being interviewed on a talk show. The questioner reviewed the star’s laundry list of very successful films, paused and added, “and then there was __________ (the star’s only bomb).” The star winced a bit, agreed that it was a ...
Views: 1297(1 vote) - The Importance of Trust - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2016 from Rand GolletzPeople in organizations talk about trust. Much of that time, however, is devoted to talking about others who they do NOT trust. I hear comments like the following with regularity: • "I don't trust my boss. He gives me an assignment and then micro-manages me." • (From a CEO) "I don't trust ...
Views: 1266 - Meet Steve Kerr - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2015 from Rand GolletzMany of you know that I invoke sports figures, especially coaches, as examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly of leadership. Many examples of effective leadership come from that world. Pete Carroll in the NFL, Buck Showalter and Joe Girardi in professional baseball and Greg Popovich in the ...
Views: 1264 - Is Your Mind Your Enemy: Do You Escape in the Illusion That YOUR truth is THE Truth? - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2014 from Rand GolletzFor over forty years, Lou Tice helped corporations, non-profits, sports teams and individual athletes achieve success. As the founder of the Pacific Institute, Lou's thinking on the subject of personal development led to his creating tools and technology that supported people like Kirk Gibson, ...
Views: 1262 - Teach Them How to Deal With You - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2016 from Rand GolletzI had just joined a Fortune 200 company in an executive level job. In the past when joining a new company, I had always taken time and great pains to figure out the culture of the place. Then I moved deliberately but cautiously in integrating my approach to leadership, the culture of the ...
Views: 1258 - What Good is a Mercedes-Benz if You're Jabba the Hut? - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2011 from Rand GolletzI recently read a staggering statistic. More than 40% of college graduates never read another book after they graduate – EVER – FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES! If you are not among that 40%, congratulations; you are among the living. If you are among that 40%, how are you growing? How are you ...
Views: 1250 - Are You Obsessed With the Brutal Truth? - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2014 from Rand GolletzI was shopping for a new tennis racquet in a store in northern Montgomery County, Maryland. It had recently changed hands after the prior owner had declared bankruptcy. The new proprietor greeted me with a hearty "good morning." I inquired as to the details of the transfer of ownership. He ...
Views: 1247 - Trust is Not Obedience - by Submitted on Feb 07, 2017 from Rand GolletzA couple of decades ago before becoming a CEO, I worked for a Fortune 200 company as Chief Marketing and Sales Officer. An organization that had just been spun off from an even larger organization, it had a reputation for being stodgy, bureaucratic and inwardly focused. I am none of those ...
Views: 1245 - Are You A Skillful Reasoner? - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2014 from Rand GolletzThis is one of my favorite business quotes: "Vision without execution is really hallucination." I know several people who have taken credit for originating that masterpiece. I may have even done that occasionally. As obvious as its truth is, however, many organizations with lofty visions and ...
Views: 1243 - Don't Punish "The Many" to Control "The Few" - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2015 from Rand GolletzI disdain bureaucracy. When I use that word, however, I do not mean that I disdain procedures or rules. My definition of bureaucracy: "Policies and/or procedures that create no value for stakeholders." For example, I don't consider procedures governing the conduct and frequency of ...
Views: 1240 - Do You Strive for the Brutal Truth? - by Submitted on Nov 09, 2015 from Rand Golletz“Human beings are poor examiners, subject to superstition, bias, prejudice, and a PROFOUND tendency to see what they want to see rather than what is really there.” Dr. M. Scott Peck Discovering areas of your life and/or business that require some work to improve is a meaningful first step in ...
Views: 1232 - Character Matters in Team Effectiveness - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2011 from Rand GolletzScott Pioli is the General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, an NFL team that has been miserable for the last several years but in 2011, is going to the playoffs. From an article about him in Sports Illustrated: “Pioli has longed to capture something from his childhood, something difficult ...
Views: 1230(3 votes) - When Hiring Leaders, Do These Things - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2012 from Rand GolletzMost executives’ hiring skills are sorely lacking. A couple of years ago, I consulted with a medium-sized company’s Board of Directors to sharpen their recruiting and selection of senior executives from the outside, after a couple of bad hiring decisions had nearly buried the company. As a first ...
Views: 1226 - Get Mentally Tough - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2013 from Rand GolletzAs a freshman at Duke, my wife's second cousin Ansley was a great tennis player. She finished that year as the NCAA's second-ranked player and was a first team all-American. She also carried a GPA of 3.8. After that year, she decided to leave school and join the women's tour. During the ensuing ...
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