Taking your time, not hurrying, and waiting for things to happen in just the right way can seem like a herculean challenge, especially for impatient types like myself. Yet, a little patience can pay off in big ways.
Cynics and anxious types should read Robert Graves’ classic novel, I, Claudius, for proof that the waiting game can really be a winning game.
I, Claudius tells the story of the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor’s Augustus, …

Managerially competent leaders who sustain momentum are experts at empowering individuals and groups to perform specific tasks or processes in the pursuit of their agenda. The most effective leaders understand that their ability to deliver results and to engage others with the responsibility and authority of getting things done.
Douglas Conant, CEO of Campbell Soup Co., knows this lesson well. In his recent interview with Forbes he stresses the importance of engaging employees in order to …

In today’s New York Times, David Brooks astutely points out that the challenge for GM is cultural, and not simply structural or financial. He notes:
On Jan. 21, 1988, a General Motors executive named Elmer Johnson wrote a brave and prophetic memo. Its main point was contained in this sentence: “We have vastly underestimated how deeply ingrained are the organizational and cultural rigidities that hamper our ability to execute.”
On Jan. 26, 2009, Rob Kleinbaum, a former …