Posts Tagged ‘Alec Hill’
Maureen Flavin – The Woman Who Saved D-Day By Alec Hill
Doing a Routine Job Well, Maureen Flavin Changed History I don’t often read obituaries, but the following caption caught my eye: “She (Maureen Flavin) helped save General Eisenhower’s invasion from potential disaster.” When Irishwoman Maureen Flavin passed away at the ripe old age of 100 last month, she was remembered for actions taken on her 21st birthday –…
Read MorePush and Pull of Career Transitions By Alec Hill
Insights from Career Transitions Early in my career, I worked for a refugee resettlement agency. I learned about “push” and “pull” factors impacting migration patterns in that role. Political, economic, or religious forces push people out of a country – think South Sudan. And they are pulled into another country either by its welcome –…
Read MoreMy Top 10 Books of the Year By Alec Hill
Books That Will Inspire the Leader in You Years ago, I committed to reading books rather than working on airplanes. Why? Because reading is vital for leaders. It provides wisdom, sharpens judgment, bolsters public speaking, and connects us with others. “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” ~ Harry Truman With that…
Read MoreReversible Decisions By Alec Hill
One-Way vs. Two-Way Door Decisions When the chair of my church’s board asked: “Is this a one-way or a two-way door decision?” my ears perked up. Asking him to explain the concept, he replied that his employer – Amazon – always uses this language. He defined the terms as follows: Why is this distinction important?…
Read MoreReputation as Idol by Alec Hill
The Dangers of Focusing on Reputation Abraham Lincoln once wrote: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Lincoln is saying two things. First, Character matters, and we should diligently seek to cultivate it. Second, reputation is derivative and…
Read MoreUsing Power Poorly By Alec Hill
By Underutilizing Their Power, Passive Leaders Cause Serious Harm Much ink has been spilled on leaders who abuse their positional power. Subordinates are bullied, shady dealings abound, and egos run rampant. But there is another misuse of power that can be just as lethal. Though less notorious, passive leaders also cause real damage. When acting…
Read MorePraise for the Incrementalist By Alec Hill
An Incementalist Resists the Temptation of Quick Fixes Labeling a leader an “incrementalist” is generally not a compliment. It connotes a lack of vision, tentativeness, and ineffectiveness in common parlance. Instead, American culture lauds those who advocate “big bang solutions” and “transformational change.” Who doesn’t want to be seen as a world-changing buccaneer who breaks…
Read MoreMy Bout with Anxiety by Alec Hill
Empathy for Those with Anxiety and Mental Health Issues It started with a low potassium count, and anxiety followed. The imbalance showed up on a blood test during my annual physical exam. The solution seemed simple enough – take supplements. But, for whatever reason, that didn’t work. What ensued – waking up abruptly in the…
Read MoreFinding Gold in Manure By Alec Hill
Sometimes You Have to Dig Deep to Find Gold! People lose gold wedding rings in various locations – garbage disposals, bathroom sinks, and, yes, toilets. Suffice it to say. It is not a pleasant experience digging through refuse to find the gold. But we do so because the ring is of such great value. Similarly,…
Read MoreWhen Going Backwards is a Good Idea By Alec Hill
In Praise of Strategic Retreats Shortly after the American Revolutionary War began, General George Washington faced a dilemma of epic proportions. He had to decide whether his 10,000 troops should stand and fight 32,000 British soldiers in New York City. If he left the battlefield, he might be viewed as a weak leader. The Continental…
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