Leader Blog
Kermit Needs Guardrails! Part 2
A few weeks ago I introduced you to Kermit who is a Case Study on why nurturing future leaders is crucial to your organization’s long-term success. Kermit Needs to Lead Kermit is your employee who you want to promote to a leadership role. However, Kermit says , “No...
Kermit Needs Guardrails! Part 1
Kermit Learns to Drive Kermit is a teen in your family approaching the age of 16. Kermit is motivated to drive because they want the feeling of independence and freedom. However, Kermit does not know how to drive and without proper training and guidance, Kermit...
Leading is Choosing Not to GROWL
Choose the Correct Time Zone Have you ever thought about time travel? You might think it is impossible, yet we all do it every day. We have available to us three time zones, just not the typical ones you know. These time zones are: 1) Yesterday, 2) Today, and 3)...
Shania’s Concern About Subtle Discrimination
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a psychological phenomenon where an individual expects that a future event will happen, and ultimately that event manifests because the individual’s resulting behavior aligns to fulfill their belief. This post explores another key...
How to Get Your Employees to Hate You (and Leave You)!
I love April Fool’s Day and even though it has passed for this year, I want to share one sort of humor that is appropriate for this special day. No one likes practical jokes and being made fun of, so I find that a great way to relieve stress in a way that gets people...
Mother Nature, Leadership, and Your Job
What an insight! They say that a hot shower can produce good ideas and clear thinking. That was true for me that morning. I am learning to appreciate the abundance in my life and as I shower, I focus my thoughts on all the people who contributed to the creation...
‘Weeds Happen’ Is a Fact of Life for A High Road® Leader™
I LOVE 💖 the sight of a beautifully managed and manicured garden. With healthy plants and colorful blooms, I can see that someone or many someone's devotes tremendous time and energy to maintain and nurture their stunning garden. I HATE 😡 however the work that...
The Great Leader Revels in Accomplishment
The moment I noticed it I felt the irony. A dragonfly resting on a dragonfly! And that is the moment I saw efficiency in motion. Let me start at the beginning… On a summer afternoon in our backyard garden, my wife and I enjoyed dinner in the warm sunshine. In...
Are You Called a Bad Leader?
“There Is No Such Thing As A Bad Kid” This is the title of a book published in 2017, and the gist is that before we label a child as “bad,” we need to dig into the causes of their disruptive behavior. What does that have to do with leadership? [I am glad you asked.]...
Every Business Wants Their Best Employees to Stay
Alison’s Story Alison believed that she had the ‘right stuff’ to be promoted into a senior leadership role. Her clients raved about her knowledge of the industry and a deep understanding of her employer’s offerings. In every performance review, her supervisor...
HAPPY EMPLOYEES = PRODUCTIVE, LOYAL, ENGAGED WORKERS
Len was old school! What he learned about leadership was from his forty some years serving in the Marines and working at a Fortune 500 company. Therefore, I was not surprised when he informed me, “It’s not my job to be concerned about my employees’ happiness!” He...
Commit to the Christmas Spirit Every Day
What would our world be like if every day was Christmas? As you can imagine, we would all experience more Sharing Cooperation Peace and Harmony Courtesy and Kindness Smiles and Laughter Joy… and (something that everyone craves) Love – real love Sadly, this aspect of...
Start Over Day
What would it be like if you could start each day with a clean slate? If you watched the movie “Groundhog Day,” Bill Murray’s character Phil had the opportunity to do that. Again, I ask you to imagine: What if you could start over, especially when something in your...
Finding and Keeping Good Employees, part 5
Employers cannot find employees and it will get worse before it gets better. The national restaurant trade group recently announced that their industry would need 500,000 more workers just to get “business back to normal.” Where these workers will come from, no one...
Finding and Keeping Good Employees, part 4
Employers cannot find employees and it will get worse before it gets better. The national restaurant trade group recently announced that their industry would need 500,000 more workers just to get “business back to normal.” Where these workers will come from, no one...
Finding and Keeping Good Employees, part 3
Employers cannot find employees and it will get worse before it gets better. The national restaurant trade group recently announced that their industry would need 500,000 more workers just to get “business back to normal.” Where these workers will come from, no one...
Finding and Keeping Good Employees, part 2
Employers cannot find employees and it will get worse before it gets better. The national restaurant trade group recently announced that their industry would need 500,000 more workers just to get “business back to normal.” Where these workers will come from, no one...
BLOG Series – Finding and Keeping Good Employees
Employers cannot find employees and it will get worse before it gets better. The national restaurant trade group recently announced that their industry would need 500,000 more workers just to get “business back to normal.” Where these workers will come from, no one...
Angry Birds in Real Life
The common American crow makes many sounds. One which informs you that a crow is upset is quite distinctive. One summer afternoon, my wife and I heard that sharp and loud noise in the sky right above us. Two agitated crows were chasing a hawk. Now this might not seem...
As seen in: Ron Rael mentioned in Strategic Finance
Thank you for the shout out Kevin Votava!
Become a Better Leader by Behaving Like a Frying Pan!
What can a frying pan teach us about leadership? A whole lot it turns out. To be a successful leader of improvements for moving forward, you need to develop a mental and emotional toughness. This toughness is required because you will find yourself stuck in the...
Get Back on the Bus! Sources of Your Leadership Character
One particular morning a mother sees her 8-year-old son Ronnie off to school. Following their routine, she walks him to the bus stop where they wait patiently. The bus arrives. Ronnie gets on. His mother returns home to get ready for work. 15 minutes later the...
Gibbs’s Rules
One of my favorite TV programs is NCIS. The main character of the show is a retired Marine gunny by the name of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. “Gibbs,” as he likes to be called, is a man of conviction. In this highly rated drama of murder, detection, and high-tech forensics,...
Truth Decay
Prevent Truth Decay Before It Infects Your Organization Two meteorologists I know commented to me recently on a problem they shared. One said that after he provides a weather forecast on Seattle TV and radio, someone will ask him, “What is the weather REALLY...
Can Today’s Employees be Motivated?
One-size-fits-all does not work in clothes! Similarly, one-managing-style-fits-all does not benefit today’s multicultural workforce. You lead and manage people by helping them find meaning in their work and in your mission. If you do this well, you will have employees who stay and contribute more!
What Your Hotel Towels Can Tell You About Accountability
Accountability is a two-way street. “If you wish to reuse your towels, hang them up. Thanks for helping us conserve water and save our planet.” Have you seen a similar notice at a hotel you’ve stayed at? As a road...
The Tears and Fears of this Pandemic are Unavoidable: Leaders Plan for It.
Can I borrow your imagination for a second? Pretend that you are driving through an intersection and you have the right of way. Out of nowhere, a driver runs through the red light and their car hits yours, on the passenger side. Assume that you are...
Losing Your Mom Sucks… So Does Losing a Good leader!
Loss of a Good Leader Leaves a Hole that Hurts in Many Ways Mom’s Death My Mother recently left this world. As part of my grieving process I have spent a lot of time reflecting, recalling about her life, and journaling my feelings. This is one thing I know for sure…...
Where Will the New Leaders Come From?
The Need for More Good Leaders is Everywhere! Have you heard the stories of Kamaria Warren, Carson King, Brecken Hayes, Sasha Thomas, Jack Beason, or Dillon Eisman? You haven’t? You need to! These children represent our next generations (next gen) of leaders and these...
Gina Cotner of Athena Executive Services
Gina Cotner of Athena Executive Services Gina Cotner is the founder and CEO of Athena Executive Services, a firm that pairs virtual Executive Assistants around the United States with busy business owners, entrepreneurs and executives. Her team of high-caliber...
Job One is to Become a Leader!
Panera Bread is experiencing 100% employee turnover, annually! Panera is not alone; it is an alarming trend in the fast food space. Employee turnover is extremely high and likely getting worse until solutions are in place. Or until we have no more fast food places to...
Leadership Lessons from Summer Camp
Summer is a time for having fun. Summer is also a time of hard work. Does that sound incongruous? During summer, more often than not, Americans take bigger vacations. Friends and relatives come to visit us. We go to amusement parks, lakes, zoos, and museums. We hang...
Success Starts with a Dream!
Six Requirements to be a High-Quality Leader, like NASABy Ron Rael“What if we could travel to the moon?”This question has been around ever since mankind learned that the moon was an object that circled the earth. Dreamers such as Jules Verne (1865) and Georges Méliès...
Walt Disney was not a good leader… until he became one.
Disneyland. What do you think of when you hear that word? The happiest place on earth? Great entertainment? Marvel Universe?? Mickey Mouse? On this 64th anniversary of Disneyland, Walt Disney is still known as an innovator, pioneer, and major influence on the...
Lessons from the Presidential Debates
Save the Unicorns“We must not eat the Unicorns!”This was the advice delivered by the President of the Northwest Chapter of the National Speakers Association at her leadership retreat. Elisa Hays wanted the members of her board of directors to have a singular focus on...
Code Red
Imagine that you told your employer about a harmful situation. You believe that the policy on this issue needs to be changed. You believe that you took the high road in calling the problem to management's attention. I am proud of you for doing that! What would...
Accountability Starts with Me!
Accountability is an extremely high standard, and this is why many people and organizations lack this quality. In this insightful article, an expert defines accountability for you, a quality essential for delivering quality customer service. You will discover some reasons why accountability is so seldom practiced and what you can do ensure that it is a standard for your organization.
Attitudes that Lead to Huge Failures
“I want it all!” or “I want more!” “I am in control!” “I am better than you!” “I have no flaws!” “Not in my backyard.” “I have complete power over you!” “Do what I say and ignore what I do!” “You cannot get away with that!” “Your piece is bigger than mine!” “I don’t...
Transparent: Verb Before Adjective
“We are a company that practices transparency.” “I am transparent!” I frequently hear statements like these in company advertisements and from individuals running for public office. However, like the labels of ethical and integrity, transparent is an adjective...
The High Road Leader Does Exist
What is right with leaders today? Leaders are the moral center of the group or organization they lead. What we hear most often about are the unethical leaders who don’t have a moral center or who prefer the low road. Thankfully, there...
Tips for Employee Town Hall Meetings
Another method for engaging employees is to hold professionally facilitated town hall meetings and focus groups. These well-organized and timely sessions are designed to get employees to open up and more importantly to listen to messages you need them to hear....
Women’s History Month
March was dedicated to honoring and celebrating women. Let’s extend this effort to recognizing and encouraging the women who lead us every spectrum of life.
The best place for a woman to start leading is where she is right now.
Leadership Mistakes to Avoid
A leader needs his or her credibility to be trusted. While you are human and will make mistakes, it is a trait of preeminent leaders to think ahead and do continuous scenario planning. Here are actions and behaviors to avoid, demonstrating your commitment...
On Turning 67
“I am 13!” I explained. My grandson responded, “No you're not. You're old!Of course, he was being teased but refused to take my bait. There is some truth to that fib, however. My tree rings now number 67, which caused me to pause and reflect. Who I Am Now...
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was a great leader! One of his abilities was to look out past the now, to think about the long-term. With this asset, he then developed a vision for our future. For example, he forsaw the menacing presence of Japan as early as 1896 and...
Martin Luther King
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was more than an outstanding leader. He was a superhero! Dr. King lacked any superpowers, in a Superman or Wonder Woman sense. To me, he deserves this honor because...
Risk Taking Versus Risk Management
“Many managers and executives fail to see the difference between risk-taking and risk management. Quite often seasoned managers and executives tell me, ‘Risk management prevents risk-taking.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. You will be a smarter...
President Bush, High Road Leader
HRI Honors President George H. W. Bush The world has lost a high road leader! President Bush was a man committed to finding the good in people. His often-quoted speech that extolled “1,000 points of light” reminds us that everyone has value and gifts to...
Santa is a Leadership Guru
A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation about leadership with a person I did not perceive as a leader: Santa Claus. I had a few minutes to talk with a professional Santa, and when he heard that I was a leadership coach, his eyes lit up and he...
Prevention of Leadership Hubris
“Ron, what do you think about the situation with CFOs who are hiding things from the CEO? Do you think the CEO should have known?”
How Professionals Can Deliver Super Service
The Ace Hardware store located in my neighborhood is a great place to shop. Tim, the owner/manager has raised customer service to an art form. As a direct result, his sales have significantly increased ever since Tim arrived. Tim’s growing customer base...
The Lone Wolf Can Never Lead!
You will likely be placed in charge of a project, engagement, or team. If you act like a lone wolf instead of a true team leader, you will fail! Loren’s Complaint After a presentation, I was approached by a shy technologist. Loren had been recently...
Do You Need Someone to be Accountable? Try the Eye-to-Eye Technique
When a person does not have to face the consequences of their actions and behaviors, you have the conditions where accountability does not exist. Roger Fails to Do What He Commits to Do Melissa faced a real challenge with her new employee Roger. Even though he...
What My Mother’s Long Life Teaches about Leadership
My mother’s 90th birthday is a testament to the traits that kept her surviving and thriving. She has demonstrated that she is a leader, though she would not call herself one. And the way she lives her life teaches us how to thrive and survive as a leader, an influencer.
Ego Blindness: What Wells Fargo is Teaching Us About Leadership Accountability
As an objective observer—coach—to my clients, I try to avoid expressing my opinion. As a facilitator, my role is to get my clients, the employees and the leaders to come up with their own solutions. In a session that I recently did on the topic of...
Employee Loyalty – A Quality Product
An article in the Wall Street Journal summarized a comprehensive survey of American workers. The survey found, "American workers are less loyal to employers than in the past." Downsizing, weeding of management layers and the fear of being fired are reasons...
The Unwanted Stuff (part 1)
Forcing yourself to do unwanted stuff is a high friction enterprise. You may feel like it makes you noble but it doesn’t. It just makes you numb.” Thomas J. Leonard The trick is figuring out what is “unwanted stuff.” Busy, Busy, Busy Our workdays...
The High Road Leader Does Exist
What is right with leaders today? Leaders are the moral center of the group or organization they lead. What we hear most often about are the unethical leaders who don’t have a moral center or who prefer the low road. Thankfully, there are people...
While the Leader Cat is Away, the Mice Will Be Doing What?
Let’s switch from fantasy back to reality.
Have you wondered what you would see going on in your organization if you were invisible? How would you feel if many or even a few of your employees were behaving like that?
The Corporate Culture You Have is the One You Create!
Your profitability will soar as a result of your efforts to develop and enhance a customer-focused culture where employees are self-activated, where they embrace new ideas and adopt new processes, and where they see themselves as integral parts of the whole.
Your Business Could go Down the Drain Without a Leadership Pipeline
All too often, organizations look to their present-day needs and merely create a role for that. You must look forward five years and decide the type and style of leadership you will need then. Write a job description ‘from the future.’
YOU HAVE UNTAPPED WEALTH IN YOUR EMPLOYEES – IT TAKES TEAMING TO UNLEASH IT
STC discovered that a self-directed team is a select group of employees who take on responsibility for a given task, problem or function. An effective team takes on a life of its own and becomes a self-perpetuating success story.
Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
Poor leadership hurts everyone in your organization. Good leadership makes everyone better. Which do you choose?
How to Influence the Creative Generation
I guarantee, as a leader, you will be tested as you strive to lead others in this dawning age of intense and rapid creativity and innovation. If you choose to stay stuck and attempt to lead using out of date methods, then you will end up like the dinosaurs—extinct!
We Take the High Road® With Your Data!
I am committed, that the High Road® Institute and Brand, be ethical and transparent.
Flight 1549
It is in times of chaos, confusion, and crisis that you need to stick to your plan and remind everyone about its existence and their roles. When employees see that you are confident, you know what you are doing, and you have in end-state in mind, as defined by the plan and the budget, they will naturally calm down and support you.
A Good Business Model Means You Never Have to Say, “I’m sorry.”
I contacted Allegiant Airlines, recommended by a native, who informed me, “They are cheap.”
“What a testimonial,” I thought.
How to Say No Without Guilt and With Grace
How often do you say “Yes”, while your brain is screaming “No!” Overworked Kat! Katherine sighed and stared into her coffee. I knew she had something weighing her down, so I waited patiently. “I am so tired! I feel like I can never catch up… my to...
Ground Rules for Accountability Tool
A simple yet powerful tool for shaping behaviors, especially in the area of holding employees accountable for ethical conduct, is “playground rules.”
Vacation Planning – A Model for Business and Success
How to build a culture of foresighted planning. While you are sitting there daydreaming about your next vacation, let me borrow the use of your vivid imagination for a few minutes. It’s mid-July and you just decided that you and your family...
The More You Know, the Faster Your Team Grows!
We are all in the information business and we are only as good as the products we supply to our customers and clients. Think about the last time you dined at a full-service restaurant. Recalling the person who waited on you, answer "yes" or "no" to...
The Leadership Tree
Mark LeBlanc, who assists entrepreneurs in growing their business, recently told an audience that building a business can be viewed as a fir tree decorated for Christmas. He explained that the trunk of the tree represents the core activities, which...
The Corporate Culture You Have is the One You Create!
“The way to get faster, more productive, and more competitive is to unleash the energy and intelligence and raw, ornery, self-confidence of the American worker, who is still by far the most productive and innovative in the world.” Jack Welch from...
Team Culture
Teams Don’t Work! (Unless You Cultivate Them with Directed Autonomy) The company was days away from bankruptcy. It looked like nothing could save it... except for a cash infusion of a half million, which was not going to happen. Yet, six months later the...
Problems Solved with More Leaders
Are you a leader? You may not think so, but often you are perceived as one. This article contains insights which will help you own the label of leader. First, why must you step up and be a leader? The accounting profession needs more people to lead....
The State of Denial is a Good Place to Learn About Leadership
Someone I love complains nearly every day about the behaviors, mannerisms and Twitter posts about a certain world ‘leader’. “I can’t believe he said that!” “I can’t believe he has lasted this long!” “How long will people continue to support that idiot!” I...
You are not a true leader when you engage in the Three D’s
Two months ago, Aaron was put in charge of a taskforce by his boss, Sarah. Sarah wanted to ensure that Aaron developed and took on more responsibilities. She felt that Aaron had the desire, and possibly the drive, but he needed seasoning. By placing him on...
Culture Definition Tool
Now that you have jump-started a culture improvement initiative, how do you define what you want to become? Starts With Your Ideals Corporate culture is the story we tell about ourselves. if there is any INCONGRUENCE, outsiders will pick up on it in...
Culture Clarification Tool
Do I always have to stay on top of my culture? What happens if I don’t want to or have time to? an UNMANAGED culture never gets better – it ONLY gets worse! I know that sounds harsh but it does not lessen the importance of this fact. The Weeds Seem to be...
A Concern for All Good Leaders: The End of ‘Why?’
“I didn’t know how to fix the door lock so I found a video on YouTube and discovered how” my friend Jon reported to me recently. When my son-in-law and daughter decided to paint the interior of their house—something neither had ever done before—I expected...
10 Ways to Show Employees You Care
As I travel around the country conducting leadership training, I get asked interesting questions. Allow me to share one of those questions with you. “I recently took over as CEO for a manufacturing company. Their culture is very toxic. The former...
5 Tactics to Transform Distrust into Connection
Why trust is almost non-existent in the workplace. The issue of trust crops up in nearly every presentation I give on leadership. The leader’s concerns commonly are, “I feel like I cannot trust my employee,” or “My employee doesn’t seem to trust me.” Some...
Transparent: Verb before Adjective
The good leader never tells people, “I am transparent.” The only way that you can earn this designation and honor is to show that you are transparent in what you do and say. The good leader lets others decide for themselves if he or she practices transparency.
The High Cost of Employee Turnover
Employee turnover can be a benefit and a problem. Is turnover the Cost of Doing Business? All organizations contend with some amount of turnover. In many industries, high turnover may be accepted as simply the “cost of doing business,” although this cost...
A Moment of Everyday Leadership: Ryan’s Bus Route
A friend told me a story recently about her son. Ryan is 11 years old and in the sixth grade. He surprised her one day when he declared, “Mom, I have an idea to help reduce pollution and traffic from our school buses!” Ryan explained his plan. He wanted to...
Learning Leadership
Myth #1: You can learn how to lead by reading enough books.
The reality is that to learn how to lead, you must lead. Trial and error will teach you the most about what it means to lead people.
Building a Culture of Ethics & Integrity
10 ½ Step Strategy for Building a Culture of Ethics and Integrity “The purpose of a control is to make the process go smoothly, properly and in accordance with high standards. Control is a principle of economy, not morality.” Peter Drucker Warning: This...
Need a Transformation? Focus on Your First Follower
Leadership is a work-in-progress. This means that there is always something that I can learn, which can help me, as I grow as a leader. A friend showed me a video that has been around since 2010 and has nearly 5 million views. If you want to watch...
Lack of Accountability
Why do employees believe they can get away with murder? Why aren’t my employees taking responsibility? Why do people on my team not value accountability? These are questions I receive all the time. Poor or weak accountability is a condition that negatively...
Increasing Productivity
Modern managers and executives know that it is far better for people to do the right things instead of people doing things right.
Leadership Credibility
Without credibility, no one believes or trusts you. this is critical for the leader who needs to get things accomplished. Sam, a new leader discovers how he lost credibility with his employees.
In the Trump Era, is Quality Leadership Dead?
A colleague looked unhappy, so I asked, “What’s wrong?” Leslie responded, “I am dismayed by what is happening in the political arena. Bickering. Fear. Espousing ideology instead of acting. And the real news seems mostly about the...
The Exact Formula for Organizational Changes
A leader is a creative person: he or she sees things that don’t exist now and brings them to life. They are willing to go where no one has gone before. A great leader will set their sights on a goal with a clear understanding that making the attempt is a necessary...
16 Qualities of Effective Teams
You can tell if a team has an attitude of interdependence by the following hallmarks. When your group is truly interdependent, every employee on the team adopts these attitudes and models the behavior. Every one of us can and will help any customer. We cover for the...
How to Recognize an Ineffective Leader
It is overly simplistic to say that a poor leader is the opposite of a great leader. Here are 18 signs that a leader is inadequate. A poor leader: Leads others in the wrong direction Makes the right decision for the wrong reason Is egocentric Does not care Is selfish...
Leave it to Beavis
How people present themselves outside of work is a direct correlation to how they present themselves as "leaders" at work. A controller/CFO I shall refer to as “Beavis” showed up early as I was preparing the seminar room. Beavis immediately began questioning my...
Is This the Reason We Can’t Get Along?
Workplace issue: The people on my team do not get along with one another. When employees are not getting along it is an indication that they have lost a sense of trust and camaraderie. This most often occurs because they have lost sight of the purpose of their work....
Hearing Rumors
Issue: My employees prefer to spend time spreading rumors rather than working. You cannot get rid of the drama that people enjoy sharing in your workplace. However, you can control how and where they spend their time based on establishing metrics and expectations....
Success in Spite of Ignorance
“Why do some companies succeed when they fail to employ the best practices of successful companies?” When the sun is out and the wind is calm, every boat stays afloat. When the storms come only the good boats stay afloat. A company can be successful without employing...
From Budget to Potential
Does your company’s budget do the following? - Allow you to see risks as mere molehills. - Enforce decision-makers to use resources only to further their strategic goals. - Change as your clients or market does. If you answered all 3 with...