The Sharpening Stone is a series of short videos from True Edge designed to sharpen leaders and organizations.
A number of years ago at a gym where I worked out I was introduced to the concept of “The Three Pillars Of Fitness” – Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility. Personal reflection on these so-called pillars yielded an appreciation for their identification as a synergistic triad – each important but insufficient alone. [...]
Many of the decisions you make as a business leader carry a significant element of risk. If you are too timid or risk avoidant, then you and your business will likely fall short of your potential. But if you embrace risk too readily or recklessly, you could damage your business and [...]
I enjoy running, and for a number of years I thought the best way to improve was simply to run more frequently, but what I learned from others is that I was missing out on something that could actually help my running. By Focusing on my Core, I would be less likely [...]
Maybe you’re thinking of selling your business. Now, or maybe ten years from now. Here are some considerations that have probably crossed your mind already: What is my business worth? Who could I sell it to? How can I be sure I’ll get paid, especially if the next owner is not successful [...]
Many of us have had the distinct displeasure of working with, or for, an abrasive leader. You know the type -- prone to emotional outbursts, overcontrol, threats, public humiliation and condescension, and general misuse of their power and authority. They have a reputation for getting the job done and may therefore be [...]
Why do so many of us, leaders included, find it difficult to hold people accountable or address issues firmly and directly? I am convinced it’s because we see confrontation as some variation on harsh, intolerant, unkind, aggressive, or uncompassionate, and that we fear creating hard feelings. We feel we have to choose [...]
When business leaders were surveyed about the top threat to their business for the rest of 2021, it wasn’t inflation or supply chain disruptions to production that came out on top. The majority of respondents said “Hiring and Retention”. In fact, 77% of companies expect to encounter a talent shortage; and according [...]
If nothing else, the pandemic of this past year has increased our awareness of the importance of resilience – for individuals, for families and communities, and for business organizations. We are well aware that, in the face of stress and change, some leaders and organizations thrive while others falter and even [...]
When we work with family-owned businesses, a common question we hear from parents is, “How important is it, really, for our sons and daughters to work for someone else? Won’t that just delay their readiness for key roles in our own company?” In our view, it’s pretty important. We generally recommend [...]
Let’s talk about TRUSTLeaders set the tone and the example in determining the level of safety and trust that exists in an organization.If trust is absent or uncertain, we are forced to spend our time and energy protecting ourselves from each other, and that weakens the organization and its productivity. When trust [...]
