Speaking of Leadership® Blog

Phil Holberton

Phil Holberton

Dedicated to helping you achieve your maximum potential



Sins of Commission(s) – Transactional Leadership vs Transformational Leadership

Reading Time: < 1 minuteOne of the hardest things for CEOs to get right is how to pay people….but most of them would agree that variable commissions are essential to properly incent sales people.  An Inc Magazine article looks at incentive compensation for sales people and suggests that in companies with good cultures that Sales

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Do You Take Advantage of Chance Encounters?

Reading Time: < 1 minuteMany of us can think of a chance encounter with someone that took an interest in us that led to a new job, career, spouse or destiny that we weren’t looking for or didn’t expect. Instead of waiting for that “big break” , why not make it happen.  Check out this short article from Forbes that

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20 Things for  20 Somethings – Leadership Lessons for the Next Generation

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIt can be hard to give the young people in your life advice because of the age difference.  So here’s some advice from a younger person for his peers that I wish someone had given me.   Pass on 20 things I Should have known at 20  to someone with more years ahead than

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The Hazards of Autopilot (In the air and elsewhere)

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe aviation industry has always been cutting edge when it comes to developing and using new technology, most notably the autopilot function in aircraft.  But there are no unmixed blessings in life and technology is no exception.  The Hazards of Going on Autopilot.” from the New Yorker begins by looking at the use

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The REAL Joan Rivers

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe unexpected death of iconic comedian Joan Rivers brought the usual torrent of information from celebrity sources that either did not know her, wish they did, wished they didn’t …or wished she knew them! One of the more thoughtful  tributes to Rivers came from someone who actually knew her well.

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Think Like a CEO: If You Build it, They MIGHT Come

Reading Time: < 1 minuteHenry Ford once remarked that he didn’t do market research because if he asked people want they wanted they would have said a faster horse!  He trusted his instinct as to what the customer would want even if they themselves could not articulate it today.  He built it and they came. (Though

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Coulds or Shoulds?

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIt’s amazing how a small change in how we ask a question can lead to a big difference in the answers. Researchers compared the impact on creative problem solving when a question we ask everyday  was altered ever so slightly; in fact by changing only one word.  A very short article summarizes their findings and

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The Innovators: Knowing Where (and WHERE NOT to Play)

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe art of competition requires a sense of where , and where not, to play.  In the music business, it turns out that knowing what to play is equally important.  Case in point: Jethro Tull,  one of the most successful and enduring rock and roll bands in the world led by frontman Ian Anderson for nearly

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Scored Recently?

Reading Time: < 1 minuteFirst it was secretaries and receptionists, then it was caller ID, next it was voicemail.  These are just a few of the obstacles which have kept us from connecting to decision makers whom we are convinced need our help; but for some strange reason think they have better things to

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Making the Shortlist

Reading Time: < 1 minuteMaking the shortlist is more important than ever in world of increasing competition and “make or break” contracts. In an era dominated by a short term mentality, Marketing Guru Seth Godin has some quick common sense for getting on this list that will not only serve you and your team well, but the

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