How does one actually become a leader? Do you have to be lucky enough to be in the right gene pool? Can one learn how to be a leader?
The reason there are no direct answers to these questions is simple: there are many different types of leaders in this world and just as many… read more
What skills and abilities do you need to master in order to become a leader today in the Czech Republic and, as important, in a global economy? Why are certain skills and abilities important today? What are the moral aspects of good leadership? What advice do experts have for young… read more
One of today’s foremost authorities on leadership is Warren Bennis, Founding Chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California and author of 27 books and more than 2,000 articles on leadership. In his book, On Leadership, Dr. Bennis states that, after many… read more
Since childhood I have been fascinated by observing people and their behavior. More specifically, I have been fascinated by observing the behavior of those who truly set themselves apart from the ordinary in their achievements. The field in which they excelled didn’t matter to me, it could be… read more
There is a wonderful story about an ancient king and his son which may well be the first account of an effort at career development. Archeologists have found evidence dating back to 4,000 BCE of the beginnings of the civilization of Sumer. By the third millennium Sumer became an advanced and… read more
With the number of books, lectures, seminars, articles, and DVD’s that have been produced on leadership in the past generation, it’s clear that there is some interest in the topic of what makes a good leader. At Amazon.com a query for “leadership” yields 16,939 current titles.
I, too… read more
Today marks the beginning of former President Vaclav Havel’s annual conference at which world leaders in politics, intellect, business and religion gather in Prague to discus issues and conflicts facing civilization that have ethnicity, religion, race, national origin or political beliefs at… read more
I have received several letters from readers asking for my thoughts on how to do one of the most difficult things any manger has to do in the course of his or her duty: fire somebody.
Let me begin by saying that firing someone, except in the most egregious situations such as theft,… read more
Dictionary.com defines serendipity as: “The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.”
This was a trait possessed by the heroes of the ancient Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip. The three princes became legendary for their ability to seemingly “discover… read more
Years ago, when I first heard the term philosopher kings, I formed an image in my mind of a bunch of old guys sitting around thinking, just thinking, and maybe every once in a while one of them would lift his head off his chin to say something like, “I think, therefore I am”.
Plato,… read more
