Love Actually

'Tis the season.....and it you have never watched this movie, it is a must on your list.  For the month of December, the blog posts here will focus on what you can learn from the holiday movies that abound.

Love Actually is a story of many stories - similar to the businesses we operate in.  You will find bosses and leaders, followers and instigators and the usual cast of mixed influencing characters.
What is interesting to me about this movie (and we watch it at least a dozen times) is that there are so many leadership lessons coming from the oddest of individuals - leadership where you wouldn't expect it.

1. the Englishman who decides to change his fortune and move to the US
2. the gilted lover who pours himself into work and discovers a new entity
3. the tenously-grounded wife who is on the precipice of loss and finds a way to hold on
4. the family destroyed by tragedy but comes to learn more about each other

and there is more (and I won't tell you all the details in case you have yet to see this movie.  The leadership lessons come in all shapes and sizes.  What does this have to do with 'NOT TO DO' Leadership?

Answer:  the NOT TO DO Leader does not take the time to look around and see the lessons, or learn from anyone else.

Look around your workplace and see the shapes and sizes.  See how each leader and team member inter-connects and intersects with each other.  Once you step back and look, you may see how the decisions and choices you make impact the rest of the flow in your workplace.

Learn to be open to the intersection and from where leadership lessons can evolve.

The Freight Train

Do You Run Full Speed Ahead?  Are you the leader who is really a freight train in disguise?  You speed through everything and hope that everyone is on board.  You wonder why, at the end of the line, that the train has lost it's load or the cars have been left behind and you are there alone?


It is easy in this life to move quickly. Especially in our work lives. Take a few minutes to examine how fast you are going and what you may be missing.

Does Haste replace of quality?

Do you create a Flurry of activity and not necessarily progress?

Is it Necessary to win every battle, not letting others feel listened to?

Do I look at my priorities or my stake, or involvement only and not the impact on others or for their input?

Do I Weigh my plate before accepting or adding more?

Do I Keep a project planner and balance it?

Do I move to completion before all ends are securely tied up, just because the due date it here?

Do I Get all obstacles eliminated before I say I am finished?

Do I ask for and Clean up every last question?

The questions above could help you slow your pace a little, or at least check in on productivity versus execution. Speed can be beneficial if taken with the diligence that is required to create good work. Speed is not to be confused with sense of urgency....that is an attitude and mind-set, not a velocity