Pascoe's Potshots

Leadership: the new frontier

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +1100

Most of us love the latest thing. Foodies rush to the new restaurant. Techos buy the smarter gizmo. Culture vultures book the must-see show. Leadership groupies chase the latest guru – or tool. Always, the new frontier. But why – and what good does it do you?

Leadership: in a world of lies and uncertainty

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +1100

The developed world is mired in debt. In 2008, it was on corporate balance sheets. Today it’s in the hands of governments. And that’s a critical shift. As Dan McCrum of the Financial Times points out*, businesses are “incentivised by laws and penalties to tell the truth” in their quarterly and other reporting. But, “politicians won’t”! For him, this makes the immediate future dangerous – and in...

Leadership: starting the New Year with a bang ...

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +1100

Given the wonderful response to our FREE Leadership Packs, we’re offering a further present – for you or a friend. This one celebrates Chinese New Year. A time for dragons, fireworks – and gifts!

Answer the question below to start your 2012 Leadership Game Plan. And, this week only, you can complete it totally FREE! Just 15 minutes! What a cracker!

Identify concerns that are holding your follower...

Leadership: when time is money

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +1100

As Woody Allen famously said: 80% of success is showing up. Appearing on time, delivering as promised; doing what’s needed. For me, two standouts on the Allen test are my accountant and my gardener: both great at what they do and, above all, hassle free. They deliver. And, it’s been the same for 20 years in each case. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if the leaders of Germany, France and other euro coun...

Leadership: a New Year's gift

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +1100

Our apology for the repeat mailing, but the Action Pack download links in the original email were incorrect. It's now 2012 - and as per my pre-Xmas email, here's that second present.

It's another of my 23-page Leadership Action Packs. This time Building a Personal Brand. Whether you're in a job, looking for one or seeking promotion, this will help you lift your market value.

Download Building a P...

Leadership: a Christmas gift

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +1100

It's Christmas - and, I'd like to give you a present. In fact, two!

These are tough times: businesses are suffering and people's jobs are at risk, particularly in the US and Europe but even in Asia. So ...

Present #1 is my 23-page Leadership Action Pack: Energising Renewal. It's today's top challenge. Whether in a job or looking, it will lift your value-add.

Download Energising Renewal Action Pac...

Leadership: what's your favourite acronym?

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +1100

NATO is the acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – and it’s typical of the abbreviations that governments love. But what of the acronyms we all used at school to remember lists of facts for our exams? Some provided by teachers, others self-created. And, what of today? Do you use any acronyms to prompt your leadership thinking and actions? If so, it could be a valuable show-and-tel...

Leadership: the true artists

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:00:00 +1100

“Who the hell cares about art?” That was my first sentence when opening an exhibition last weekend in Sydney. I then summarised three things I believe the best artists do that ensures their audiences care. On reflection, these same three actions answer another question that’s close to my heart: who the hell cares about leadership? So, let me share them and see what you think. In particular, whe...

Leadership: at Amazon, Apple and Facebook

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +1100

Amazon’s amazing. Apple’s the apple of everyone’s eye. Facebook’s the face everyone wants to know. In a recent blog, Seth Godin copied their org. charts as seen by Manu. Perhaps these charts also sum up their leadership styles. If so, what can you and I learn from each – and their differences. Here are some characteristics and then my takeaway.

Leadership: it's all local

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +1100

“Think global, act local” is a well accepted mindset amongst town planners and big-time strategists. It even has its own Wikipedia entry. But, too many people think they can follow this advice in choosing their leadership actions. They read books by business professors and lauded CEOs. And, assume this “global” knowledge somehow applies to their situation. That may be true if you sit at the ape...

Leadership: now it's your turn

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +1100

This week, I’m presenting a very different Potshot. Why? Because in recent months, I’ve streamlined the V|E|C|T|O|R action-planning process. It’s now the ultimate DIY tool for leaders. Quick, intuitive and situation-specific: exactly how leadership should be. So read on.

We’ve also simplified the site. Our Home Page is now super clear; and, navigation much easier.

So, what’s the Potshot? Well, th...

Leadership: are you more like New York or Hicksville?

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +1100

Why do tourists visit New York? For Seth Godin, the bottom line is simple: it’s different. Not in the narrow sense of each card in a pack being different. But in giving you the full pack. Whatever your interests, NY offers them. Having lived there many years ago and revisited often, I get what he means. Unlike most places, it ticks all the boxes. So, if I asked your team, would each member say ...

Leadership: a mash up of metaphors

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:00:00 +1100

The Harvard Business Review loves them: authors, who use three or four anecdotes to derive a general principle. But, as Phil Rosenzweig famously showed in 2007*, this is shoddy logic. And, the HBR article is the genre Phil dislikes. Read it if you wish but only if you then do your own thinking. Leadership is about problem-solving – not repeating someone else’s tricks or even your own. Each day ...

Leadership: putting social media to work internally

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:00:00 +1100

Cemex, the global Mexican cement company, has over 500 communities worldwide using its collaborative platform called “Shift”. They solve local problems by engaging global talent. The platform mixes wikis, blogs, discussion boards and Web-conferencing. In one project, 400 employees across its ready-mix businesses slimmed the product range – creating an ongoing global catalogue. Cemex is huge. Bu...

Leadership: yes, but what about self-leadership?

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:00:00 +1100

The renown blogger, Seth Godin, hits home runs oftener than most. Here’s a recent one* that was short but sharp. “The job of the CEO isn't to check things off the agenda. Her job is to set the agenda, to figure out what's next. Now that more and more of us are supposed to be CEOs of our own lives and careers, it might be time to rethink who's setting your agenda.” Putting this another way … as ...

Leadership: a challenging lesson from Steve Jobs

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:00:00 +1100

Steve Jobs will be revered for centuries. Warren Buffett, once gone, will perhaps be remembered for a while – mostly by his devoted fan club of investors. Bill Gates’ memory will endure a bit more because of his and Microsoft’s dominance of the PC environment in the late 20th century. However, the Mac, iPod, iPhone, iTunes/App stores and Pixar are likely to become permanent segments of the hist...

Leadership: and the absurd Euro debacle

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:01:00 +1100

As a humorist once put it: even a group of anarchists appoints a leader. Your local sporting club, the place where you work and your national government each has a president, CEO or similar. He or she listens to input from committee members, major stakeholders or cabinet colleagues and then takes the tough decisions – and drives things forward. Everywhere, that is, except in the Euro zone. It’s...

Leadership: what a load of rubbish!

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 01:00:00 +1000

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, “In an era when discontinuity is the only constant, the ability to lead wisely has nearly vanished.” What nonsense. This sort of populist generalisation about leaders makes me mad. I’ve been around for decades and there’s little new in what’s happening today. And, if I’d lived for centuries, the same would be true. Cycles are part of evolut...

Leadership: do you have Ali Baba's secret code?

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 01:00:00 +1000

“Open Sesame!” was the command Ali Baba used to pass the magic entrance to the cave where the 40 thieves stored their treasure. Many of us have similar phrases to activate our leadership. Some say “Define the vision.” Others “Motivate your people.” Like Ali Baba’s words, these may get you in – and let you experience early happiness. But, like Ali’s greedy brother, Cassim, you also need the righ...

Leadership: what do you want on your tombstone?

Timothy Pascoe — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 01:00:00 +1000

It takes a stonemason to chisel words on a tombstone. But, it’s up to each of us to ensure our life merits a report. I spent many hours at university in a lecture theatre that carried a plaque commemorating a famous professor of engineering. The Latin tag was ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos – by their fruits ye shall know them. It’s what we do that counts both in life and as leaders. Here ar...