Building courageous leaders

David Porter Advisors

Subscribe

Leading through adversity

6 Ways We Lead Through Adversity

6 Ways We Lead Through Adversity

Many of us are justifiably concerned with how to lead our teams through adversity in these extraordinary times. If you are a leader charged with keeping things going, consider these tactics: Focus on stakeholders. When adversity occurs, fears run high with employees, clients, and shareholders. We tend to focus on

Focus on helping your team perform

Focus on helping your team perform

Late one evening, two leaders and the CFO met in the CFO’s office. The CFO was upset about a perceived lack of effort from his team in completing several initiatives he deemed important. His monologue devolved into personal attacks on each team member as he went down the hall

Some truths about leading transformation

The first story. Late one evening, about six months into a company transformation effort, I approached a team member’s empty desk to drop off a document. In the middle of his precisely ordered desktop was a message clip holding a 3×5 index card. I picked up the card

Overcome limitations stifling our development

Overcome limitations stifling our development

“Is life not a hundred times too short for us to stifle ourselves?” Friedrich Nietzsche When a leader avoids responsibility for his actions, it often shows up as belittling, disingenuous, unsympathetic, incredible, unreliable, and egocentric. This list illustrates the polar opposite of role model leadership attributes. It also reminds us

A battle plan against exhaustion

A battle plan against exhaustion

Some owners and leaders are waking up exhausted today. They spend a few extra minutes in the shower, stare into the mirror with tired eyes, and drink an extra cup of coffee. Once outside, they stare at the wall with both hands on the wheel before starting the car. They

How can leaders handle internal disputes?

How can leaders handle internal disputes?

Leaders are sometimes called upon to intervene in a dispute between direct reports or peers. This situation can be handled adeptly with some thought, practice, and courage. We can easily mishandle things in the absence of each. A Case Study A CEO wrestles with a sales shortfall in the second

How to lead during adversity

How to lead during adversity

Over time, I’ve fielded questions from leaders in companies that have experienced client data exposure from hacks or internal fraud that harmed or destroyed the company’s reputation. The leaders are concerned with how to lead during adversity and whether they are putting their reputations on the line by