On Leading with Greatness

“One day…”

Only two words, but what an impact! It’s the battle cry of the chronic procrastinator. We promise ourselves and others that we’ll get around to that task or fulfill that desire…one day. Our intentions may be innocent and pure, but our motivation is slippery—that is, if it even exists.

Here’s a fun fact. King Oedipus murdered his father, married his mother, and brought plague to his city, which makes him the perfect case study for toxic leadership in the modern workplace.

My excitement defies description—even by me!—as I announce the release of my TEDx talk for TEDx Clarkstown!

It’s called “Swizzle: The Way of the Change Agent,” and whether you're a regular reader of On Leading with Greatness or new to my writing, this talk might just surprise you. The energy, the storytelling, the ideas—they translate differently on stage, and I think you'll find something to connect with.

Here’s to the people who make true leadership possible, whose tireless efforts and devotion bring about change.

Here’s to the ones who do, who execute, who put into place. When the day is done and all is quiet, they remain unsung. Without them, though, nothing would happen.

that team.

Here’s the followers without whom there are no leaders.

Have you ever been given the silent treatment? Have you ever been silenced?

Humans—being social creatures—rely on communication in all its forms to make connections. We need communication to thrive. In fact, communication is the second of the 4 Cs of effective leadership along with character, compromise, and collaboration. You simply can’t lead without being a good communicator.

But I want to talk about communication’s opposite: silence.

The truth is that the player who attempts to bluff always does so from a position of deficiency. You wouldn’t be bluffing if you placed a high bet on, say, a straight or a flush unless you somehow knew for a fact that your opponent held four of a kind. Therefore, bluffing is always a de facto admission of weakness even when the player wins.

You’re a good person. I’m a good person. That woman over there, see her? She’s a good person. The man right past her, the one kicking his dog, he’s a good person too.

Are you buying any of this?

Please don’t.

Learn how marketing eats merit for breakfast.

Think of a clenched fist. What comes to mind? For most people a fist evokes strength, aggression, and even a touch of violence. A raised fist screams defiance and declares revolutionary solidarity. A fist shaken in the face? It’s a prelude to a fight. In our culture, fists are undeniably masculine. Men punch, and women slap. Or so we imagine.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that bosses—as we conceive them—are more comparable to fists than open hands. Bosses want to exude an aura of toughness, an uncompromising stance. The stereotypical hardboiled, cigar-chomping autocrat. The iron man: red hot on the outside but cool within. Like a boss, right?

Let’s sketch a scene. Imagine holding a classic rocks glass—one of those short tumblers used for whiskey. Its thick walls and solid base give it an appealing heft in your hand. Now picture a fancy swizzle stick leaning tall against the rim. Go ahead and grab that stick and give it a good whirl, really swizzle the hell out of that glass.

Oh, and one tiny detail, the glass in your hand, the one you’re vigorously swizzling, is filled with semi-liquified crap.

Feeling queasy? Sorry about that, but it could be a side effect of today’s focus—the art and value of progressive s**t-stirring!