An appointment is a contract. It says “I recognize we need to do X together, and I know that X is important to you (or me or both of us, whatever). I promise to be ready to work with you on this at 9 o’clock.”
That’s right, it’s a promise. And we break this promise pretty […]

Ok, so we’ve talked about why you should recruit mentors as you develop your own ability to get your job done better/faster/stronger. That’s pretty safe stuff.
But here’s something you don’t hear nearly as often: you should be a mentor, starting now.
Start at the beginning
Most of us think as mentoring as an activity that benefits the […]

Here’s something that virtually no one will ever tell you. I don’t think anyone ever told me this, either, but I’ve found time and again that when I make real progress I’m following this rule: don’t do everything on your list. My rule of thumb is that 85% of all the things I have to […]

We’ve talked a bit on this web site about having a balanced life and the role that plays in keeping you creative and in preparing you for challenges and failure.
Reader Karen M. sent me a note pointing to a batch of new supporting scientific evidence in favor of balance. One form of it anyway: taking […]

I spend a lot of time focused on trying to get people—especially people just starting their careers—to think about their career over long term and to identify ways that they can do something meaningful with their time. It’s fun, but I realize I’m leaving out a small but important part of the workplace: those who […]

My organization, like lots of large companies and government agencies, has a required regimen of courses and training that I am required to complete as the career clock ticks. To say that these are usually unremarkable is being pretty generous, but hey, spring is in the air.
But I got lucky and did an exercise in […]

So, how about it: what do you do for a living? What does your organization do? Why should anyone outside your company care?
We are special
I’ve made the argument before—and I genuinely believe—that those of us in science, engineering, and technology are special. We are going to create, invent, discover, and build the things that will […]

The folks over at InfoWorld have invited me to be the featured guest on their upcoming IT Exec-Connect live chat. From the web site:

What’s the difference between leading and managing? Want to learn how to get your ideas implemented? Join John West, author of “The Only Trait of a Leader” and InfoWorld Associate Editor Richard […]

Before we get started talking about private conversations, though, I wanted to interject something. Think about this as the sorbet course.
I’ve always heard you’ve got to blow your own horn, because no on else is going to blow it for you.
For most of us, though, blowing our own horn is pretty hard to do. I’m […]

I read an article recently arguing that leaders are born, not made. I disagree.

I view leadership as a continuum, probably because of my other view that there is only one trait of a leader: followers.
The consumer
If the only trait of leadership that matters is that other people are motivated by what you say and do […]