“The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a short story written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It is about two weavers who promise an emperor a new suit of clothes that they say is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, untrained, or incompetent. In reality, the tailors make no new clothes at all. Instead, they make everyone believe […]
Diverse employees team listening to coworker at corporate meeting in office, colleagues workers involved in briefing, brainstorming discussing project strategy, sharing ideas, partners negotiating ” data-medium-file=”https://dougthorpe.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/admanity-173657588_l-650×433.webp” data-large-file=”https://dougthorpe.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/admanity-173657588_l-1024×683.webp” /> Empathy – it’s a leadership buzzword thrown around a lot. But what does it truly mean to lead with empathy? Sure, it involves understanding emotions and perspectives. […]
If you are thinking about making a change at work, at home or for yourself, don’t take the scenic route. We’ve all done it. You went on a trip. Somewhere along the way you see signs for the scenic route. So you take a detour. You begin traveling down smaller, winding roads. You see fewer […]
A few years ago I wrote a piece contrasting the “cool breeze” and the “fog machine”, whimsically (at least my attempt at whimsy) to illustrate extreme possibilities in the way a leader can show up at work. I think It’s time to delve deeper into that idea (minus the whimsy part). While the “Cool Breeze” […]
The Wizard of Oz may have been pulling levers and projecting smoke and mirrors, but that wouldn’t make him a very effective leader. In today’s dynamic world, the “man behind the curtain” approach simply doesn’t work. True leaders understand that inspiration stems from visibility, trust from approachability, and connection from relatability. Just like Dorothy needed […]
In the grand theatre of leadership, there’s a delicate dance playing out on the main stage: the display of expertise. On one hand, we have the confident captains, radiating knowledge like beacons, guiding their teams through uncharted waters. On the other, lurk the know-it-alls, tripping over their own pronouncements, leaving trails of deflated egos and […]
When it comes to being a great Leader, power of words can tip the scales between proactive dynamism and knee-jerk reactivity. A leader’s directives, those crucial pronouncements that guide and motivate, hold the potential to ignite transformative action or trigger a defensive scramble. Understanding the difference between these two outcomes is fundamental to fostering a […]
Let’s face it, folks. Leading a team isn’t about holding all the answers; it’s about knowing who does. And that, my friends, takes an intricate dance between two key players: trust and belief. They might sound like two sides of the same coin, but their roles in your leadership tango are distinctly different. Trust is […]
Overcoming Challenges as Your Business Scales As any entrepreneur knows, building momentum is exhilarating! But riding that wave of success isn’t without its challenges. Here are some of the biggest hurdles you might face and how to navigate them: 1. Scaling Without Sacrificing Quality: Stumbling block: Expanding too quickly can lead to operational inefficiencies, product/service inconsistencies, […]
Trust is a critical element in our everyday lives. The relationships we enter are centered on trust. Whether we are going to work, shopping online, or meeting a stranger, trust becomes the yardstick for how far that relationship may go. For those of you in a significant relationship with a life partner, trust means everything […]
