Posts Tagged ‘leadership’

No-Cost Team Building Activities from Scouting

24 July 2009

Project Leadership, Team Work, Communication and CreativityTough economic times dictate that we cut costs. Here are three no-cost team building activities that I learned from Scouting.

Ask the team to form a circle while holding a rope blindfolded. Challenge them to form a square. Remove the blindfolds to check if they were successful.

Lay out obstacles on the floor. Blindfold one team member. The entire team shouts out commands to help the blindfolded team member navigate to another side.

With a soup can in the middle, lay a rope on the floor in a shape of a large circle. Give the team ropes that are longer than the diameter of the circle. Challenge them to get the can out without going inside the circle.

Debrief after each activity. Ask them to share what they learned about leadership, communication, team work and creativity.

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Are you reaching your potential as a leader?

24 March 2009

Leader“Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead. This scarcity makes leadership valuable. If everyone tries to lead all the time, not much happens. It is discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile.

In other words, if everyone could do it, they would, and it wouldn’t be worth much.

It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.

When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.

If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.”

—Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us

Connect with Dr. John A. Estrella via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.