“Culture is the tacit agreement to let the means of subsistence disappear behind the purpose of existence.” — Karl Kraus As I mentioned in my last blog, every culture seems to fit into one of five categories, which I’ve characterized as Levels 1 to 5. Since we’ve talked about the first three in earlier blogs, … Read more
This is part of an ongoing series of blogs based on the latest Level Five Associates book, The Power of Being All In. “While your culture should drive decision-making throughout the organization, consider it a North Star, not a straitjacket.” — Erin Meyer in the Harvard Business Review, July-August 2024 issue. What Do We Do … Read more
This is part of an ongoing series of blogs based on the latest Level Five Associates book, The Power of Being All In. What Will Effective Leadership Look Like in the Future? | Part 2: We Paid the Price “We paid the price for valuing competence more than character.” — General (retired) Martin Dempsey, 18th … Read more
A few months ago, I was a guest on Chris Dyer’s Talent Talk, a radio/podcast series. Our discussion covered a bit of my history in the military, and an overview of The Big 6 Leadership Principles®. There was an interesting question that came up: We’ve talked about The Big 6 Leadership Principles®. (We’ve also talked … Read more
Culture—the way people think, behave, and work in an organization—is difficult to control. Thankfully, that’s not what our model asks of leaders. Leaders of an “All In” culture seek to influence culture versus controlling it. Because we humans are complex animals, developing (and maintaining) a culture of excellence is time-consuming, challenging work. Leadership is the … Read more
A Level Five Culture in Antarctica? Yes, as unusual as it sounds. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton, British explorer, embarked on an expedition to traverse Antarctica. His recruiting ad in The London Times read: “Men wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and … Read more
