Editor's Note

The curtain has come down on the LEAD2015 conference. No doubt, the event was a grand success with high profile and inspiring speakers, Leadership 500 Award winners and a cheerful crowd. Thank you to each and every person who participated for making it so memorable. That said, we have not stopped our endeavor of creating a world of infinite potential. We are looking ahead to LEAD2016, which we promise will be even more remarkable. Stay tuned!

1 Scene + 2 Lenses = 4 Leadership Lessons: “Be the change you wish to see in the world”

By now you’ve seen the Dancing Guy. Not the computer-generated Dancing Baby that launched the Internet age, but rather the Dancing Guy, the unidentified “shirtless guy” cavorting on a hillside at an open air concert1. If you haven’t, you should immediately. Entitled, First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy, the video is easily found. Simply type “Dancing Guy” into your Internet browser and launch one of the hundreds of copies. But, be forewarned: Stop searching before you reach the Fat Russian Guy Dancing in a Speedo video. It’s a sight you won’t forget and can’t miss.

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Leadership Coaching: Getting the most out of it

While coaching is a highly effective way of accelerating your development as a leader, it also represents a significant investment of time and money. Here are fourteen ways to get the most out of your leadership coaching experience.

Invest With Trustworthy CEOs: How to do that?

Georgia was a successful artist. She had never taken a business course in her life, nor picked investments. Her father was an experienced businessman and did this for her. When he died, Georgia inherited his portfolio of stocks and hired a manager.

Leading With COURAGE: Understanding the foundations of self-renewal

When I was asked to do a presentation for women in career transition last year, I wanted to prepare something that would, a) come from the heart, b) be easy to understand and remember, and c) would be useful for men and women alike. I believe that, while there are clear differences in some of the challenges that men and women face in the professional arena, there are some overarching themes that are useful to all. I came up with COURAGE, which is the acronym for seven mindsets or behaviors that can make a world of difference in how we perceive our personal and professional path, and the leadership measures we take in response to that. Courage is a strong concept in itself. We need it to make decisions, and leap into areas where others don’t. Courage is one of those terms that seems to be self-explanatory when we think about leadership. Whether we perceive it as an act toward our own behavior or in interaction with others, leadership requires courage.

Servant Leadership: The case for the best leadership philosophy

Exploring how servant leadership arrived in the last thirty years to become such a prominent leadership practice in business. The question is one I have heard countless times over the years: "Hey Marcel, what would you say are the traits that make a great leader?" (Not exactly a question that can be answered while standing in line at Starbucks!)

Excellence In Practice: A reflection on leadership

This short video features one of HR.com’s industry experts and Leadership Advisory Board member Meghan Seybold (Senior Manager of Diversity Initiatives of RBC Group) interviewing her colleague Pragashini Fox, (Vice President of Talent Development at RBC Group) who has shown exceptional innovation and leadership in her chosen field.

Facilitating Win-Win: You can't lead if you can't follow

I’m a dancer. When I studied the Argentine Tango there was a foundational rule that I believe is true for all leaders: The leader opens the door for the follower to pass through, and the leader then follows. If anyone notices the leader, he’s not doing his job. The goal is to showcase the follower.

Results-Based Leadership: Putting employees first before customer and profits

Putting the customer first has been the mantra of many companies for a long time. But, however correct the mantra may be, perhaps it’s time to question the wisdom of it. Some companies already have, that is, put the customer second, after employees. The results are surprising and enlightening – engaged and contented employees and companies cited for their best practices. Moreover, customers are satisfied. This article presents an operating model and proven approach for putting employees first.