READ / EXPLORE
The Power to Declare
Declarations come from nothing, from a future that hasn’t happened yet, It’s a future that doesn’t exist until there is someone to say it. The declaration is the source of what’s next and inspires the actions to be taken that match it. At Thanksgiving, I declared to...
Walking in the morning
I walked today. My habit, when weather and work permits, is to walk outside. Out the door at 6:00 AM. I walk on the sidewalk, winding like a ribbon through my neighborhood, and pass each neighbor's house at a brisk pace. Watching out for cracks and uneven places in...
Is Optimism Enough?
Leaders often confuse optimism with creating. The other day, a client asked me, “What’s the difference between the two? People tell me I am an optimist.” I said something like this: Optimism is a state of mind, a way of being that some people...
Give and Take in Communication
I’m inquiring into a culture of give-and-take, especially as it relates to giving and receiving feedback. At Dorrier Underwood, we intentionally generate a culture of feedback out of a commitment to our big goals. After all, high performance teams need feedback in...
Managing Time and the Power of Choice
When I was a young mother, I learned that if my son wanted attention, I could try to ignore him and spend the next hour with him talking, pulling on me, crying, and getting into things he shouldn’t, or I could give him my undivided attention for five or 10 minutes,...
Teenage grandson: leadership guru, by Nancy Dorrier
My grandson, Phillip, 16, and I just returned from a vacation in California. He was the last of the grandchildren to go on “a Nana trip,” and we planned the trip with the redwoods in mind. I was happy he hadn't aged out of spending time with his grandmother. ...
Existence, by Jane Smith
It was Saturday, my typical run-errands day. My list included groceries, a bolt, and a tube of caulk that Phil needed to move the towel holder, which is turning into quite a project. And, oh yeah, a new hair brush from Sally’s Beauty Supply, not on the list but...
Bats in the Bedroom, by Laura Neff
It was about 11:00 p.m. when I heard my husband Robert hollar, “WOAH!!!” from the bedroom. I could tell this was a hollar that signaled, “HELP NEEDED, NOW,” versus an exclamation produced by seeing something cool on his iPad. Sure enough, as I leapt down the stairs...
The Case of the Missing Tomato (AKA Fact vs Interpretation), by Kimberly Chatak-Nelson
It’s a mystery to me! I looked outside and the first, the one-and-only tomato, on one of our two tomato plants, was gone. It hadn’t quite ripened and I was going to give it one more day and then pick it. I had thought about bringing it in a day early and letting it...
Integrity, Principles, Points of View, Stories to Follow
Integrity, what is it? Doing what works, doing what you say you will do, and on time. Integrity, Principles, stories to follow... Being related and integrity are the source of results, and that is it. Look there strategically. Are you building relationships? Are you...
How Transformation Lasts, by Nancy Dorrier
Making transformation last or letting it go and then starting over An opening for love was present in Congress after the shooting at the baseball field where Republican Congress people and staff were practicing for their game against the Democrats. At the Capitol and...
Transparency, by Carol Orndorff
I often hear from people on the leadership team of one client that their boss (call him “Fred”) is not very “transparent” with them. Lack of transparency is easy to complain about when people feel like they don’t know what’s going on or they’re concerned that they...
Raising the Bar, by Ginny Brien
Having a big vision is a mixed blessing. For one thing, the bigger the vision, the more likely Integrity is on its way out. Growing up, I heard a lot about "doing business on a handshake," which meant honorable people kept their word to each other even without a...
It’s Brain Science, Not Rocket Science, by Nancy Chek
"I am thinking about how I was great in high school Marching Band. I could play my instrument and do all kinds of tricks on the football field. But if I had to march today, I’d be more than rusty. I’d be petrified … in several meanings of that word!" ~ Kimberly...
If it Weren’t for Other People, I Could Get a Lot Done! by Laura Neff
It’s the irony, right? None of us can make our company’s vision or team goals come to life on our own, but it can so often seem that it’s all those other people who get in the way of doing our part. Thanks to my colleague Gary, I recently had a revelation about...
Caring as a Business Strategy, by Nancy Dorrier
Doug came out in the hall from the lunch buffet at the fancy hotel where we were leading a program and said, “I have to tell you something.” He had tears in his eyes. He had been tearing up already while leading this program for “Acme Manufacturing” executives. ...
Podcast: Doug McVadon on “Integrity” as the Foundation for Leadership
Spend time with anyone from Dorrier Underwood and you're sure to hear the word integrity come up quickly. We believe integrity is central to empowered, inspiring leadership and are constantly on the lookout for where it might be missing, whether individually or...
How to Move Things Forward, by Doug McVadon
Forwarding the Action means empowering others to succinctly address the matter at hand so the next thing can happen. Fundamentally, forwarding the action often means knowing when to shut up. That is a “big ask” of the average human being! I was going over a Vision...
What Initiative Looks Like – When It’s Missing, by Ginny Brien
In·i·ti·a·tive, (noun) the ability to assess and initiate things independently.the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do. This week I got to distinguish initiative by observing its absence in myself. The strategy team had a retreat scheduled for...
