Category Archives: Leadership

Leading Change With Integrity
Posted on April 15, 2013 by Al Watts

Most of you have witnessed (and perhaps been victims of) disappointing or even disastrous organizational change efforts. A 2010 IBM comprehensive global study of organizational change initiatives revealed that 60% of them fail; JCP (the retailer formerly known as J.C. … Continue reading →

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Does Your Organization Need A “Root Canal?”
Posted on March 28, 2013 by Al Watts

Early on the second day of a client engagement, I found myself at the dentist’s. The nagging tooth ache that we thought a filling fixed had gotten worse; I needed to be “on” in a couple hours, and was leaving … Continue reading →

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Out With The Old, In With The New
Posted on January 14, 2013 by Al Watts

A new year lends itself naturally to reflection and planning, leading for some to make resolutions. My reflections and resolutions revolved mainly around what to let go of and what to make room for – what’s “out” and what’s “in.”  … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Innovation, Integrity, Leadership, Performance, Personal development, Self Awareness, Values
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4 Comments
  • Al Watts
    Thanks, Carolien. I'm happy that you're in my "front row," and 'hope to be in yours!
  • Carolien Moors
    Al, Thanks for reminding me that I can't just keep adding. I have to let go and make room in ...
What Is Your Values Proposition?
Posted on December 19, 2012 by Al Watts

Yes, I really do mean values proposition, not value proposition. We’re accustomed to thinking of an organization’s or business value proposition – the degree that it meets the needs, wants and requirements of target markets and customers. We pay less … Continue reading →

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Does Work Make You “Seasick?”
Posted on November 27, 2012 by Al Watts

Recently a colleague shared her distress with the turmoil, continuous change and what seemed like unrealistic expectations at her workplace. As she described the conditions and her reactions, I couldn’t help thinking how similar they were to those of mates … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Leadership, Performance, Personal development, Sailing and outdoors, Teamwork
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1 Comment
  • Carolien Moors
    Thanks for the insightful analogy Al, and for the emphasis on awareness, choice, focus, collaboration, mindset & attitude.
Adventure Learning in the BWCA
Posted on October 24, 2012 by Al Watts

As summer transitioned to fall not long ago, it was time for our annual adventure in the BWCA. (For those farther afield, Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area is over a million acres of waterways and forest on the Canadian border, … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, Leadership, Personal development, Self Awareness, Teamwork
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4 Comments
  • Al Watts
    Thanks, Cathy! And you "rock, paper, star" on!
  • Cathy Paper
    Al, This looks like such an amazing trip. Dig the photos! And you always make such helpful connections. Rock ...
Clouds at Work
Posted on September 5, 2012 by Al Watts

Do you remember laying on your back as a kid, looking up at the sky and figuring out what the clouds looked like? Here are some “clouds” to figure out – word clouds formed by about a hundred LinkedIn connections … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Leadership
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2 Comments
  • Al Watts
    Thanks, Dave, and thanks for your thoughtful analysis. I agree - there is a "light" and "dark" side to "challenging." ...
  • Dave Jamieson
    Love the work you did with these comments. It's no surprise that challenging was so dominant, but my next analysis ...
Paying Attention To What Matters
Posted on August 22, 2012 by Al Watts

We were on a nice port tack, but Raspberry Island was coming up fast; we needed to come about. I coached my nephews – one at the wheel and one at the winches – how to execute the maneuver, so … Continue reading →

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1 Comment
  • Carolien Moors
    Spot on Al, To create results, balance, effectiveness, accountability, resilience, and so much more you need to know what to focus ...
Compounded Errors
Posted on July 23, 2012 by Al Watts

Once again this season, our sloop LOON is serving up life and leadership lessons, and in unexpected ways.  The first this year began when a charterer reported a small fresh water leak at the base of LOON’s toilet – by … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Personal development, Uncategorized
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2 Comments
  • Al Watts
    'Good point about the need for respectful confrontation, Carolien. Too often (yes, perhaps more in Minnesota!) we overlook or lack ...
  • Carolien Moors
    Hi Al, another great article discussing a relevant topic for organizations and families alike. It connects with accountability, with the ...
A Slippery Slope
Posted on June 15, 2012 by Al Watts

I had the pleasure of lunch recently with the former VP of Sales for a $16 million technology company, published author and speaker. Mark Faris freely shares another distinguishing credential: he is a convicted felon for mail / wire fraud … Continue reading →

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