I’ve had the opportunity to serve on various teams, boards and organizations over the last 10 years. Whether in the private sector, or in the public field – I’ve come to learn many leadership lessons that have helped me grow and lead groups of people through a variety of different opportunities. (more…)
Author Archives: goprimeconsult
This weeks post was borrowed from Chad Veach at theleadershipcollective.org There are a lot of leaders I really want to be like… and there are a lot of leaders I really DON’T want to be like! Here are a few… 1. The INCONSISTENT Leader “People don’t have a problem with AUTHORITY as much as they have a problem with INCONSISTENT AUTHORITY.” (more…)
Sometimes it’s really easy to get caught up in the things around you. A great idea you’ve just had can seem so far from reaching its potential, and even a desire to change can leave you thinking you are far away from your goal. I often find myself caught in the mundane, the routine of life – and having to remind myself of “what could be”. Potential can sometimes be a great inspirer, or a great inhibitor – something so lofty and far away, that we refuse to entertain the possibilities. (more…)
The consulting business has taught me many lessons. As an aspiring entrepreneur, I take pride in learning important life lessons from business. One of the early lessons I’ve learned – is that relationships are everything. Growing up, I often heard people say “business is cold” and “it’s all about the money”, but in reality – I’ve learned that those statements seem to be far from the truth. How we develop and maintain relationships in business, and in life – matters. (more…)
One of my first full length talks in front of a large scale audience was about encouragement. I was amazed at how quickly the crowd picked up on the subject, and started to put encouragement into practice – something that in return drew the best out of me for my talk. (more…)
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to help lead many teams of people in various organizations, both public and non-profit. Some teams were larger than others, and many of those teams have had a lasting effect on me. One thing that has always remained constant, is people’s ever quick ability to formulate an opinion on leadership. (more…)
Wedding Crashers has always been one of my favourite movies. In this scene, we see a 40+ year old Will Ferrell still living with his mother, waiting for mom to bring him his dinner. Sometimes I think businesses treat marketing, and their clients much like this. Many times we are guilty of sitting around, expecting clients to come to us – or we are stuck doing the same thing for years, hoping for the same or better results. (more…)
Ever since I was young, my father (who is of Persian heritage) has instilled in me a deep respect for our Middle Eastern culture. Whether it was our various trips to Persian restaurants, in which we sampled Iranian delicacies – or the countless hours my father and I spent raving like lunatics in front of our television at the Iranian national soccer teams’ many heartbreaking moments – my father always thought it important to expose me to some of the finer points of our heritage, our culture. (more…)
I am an evangelist when it comes to things I love. When I find a new spot that serves amazing greek food at a great price point, you better believe my friends and family will find out about it! How about the latest gadget I got for Christmas? (more…)
Culture is the total sum of the values, customs, traditions, and meanings that make a company unique. It is defined as being the backbone, or foundation for any organization’s growth or forward strategy.
Growing up, I quickly learned that my family name carried a lot of weight. Anytime someone found out I was my father’s son, I became aware of what was expected of me. I was raised in a house that prioritized things like generosity, hosting friends, and lifelong relationships. As I went off to university, and eventually established my place in the corporate world – the culture I grew up in was so immersed in me, that I find myself embodying the same values my family was known for when I was growing up. Culture, when established early – can define not only who you are, but how you act.
Here are a few practical ways that culture can help your business and leadership:
1. Culture is caught, not taught
Every company generally has their cultural ideas and values etched on plaques, or written on letterhead – but rarely do written values just translate into a great corporate culture. People need to see culture lived out – they need to catch the vision of the culture for themselves.
2. Culture of Encouragement
While there are many values that should be espoused at a corporate level, encouragement ranks first in my books. Imagine an atmosphere where employees and clients walk in to work excited, knowing that their workplace is one that encourages thought, ideas, and values who they are. An emphasis on encouragement, means a healthy workplace.
3. Know Your Limitations
One of the best things I realized early in my career, was who I was – and who I wasn’t. The quicker I can come to terms with the things I am not good at, the sooner I can focus on the aspects and values that I am good at, that I want to espouse. The sooner we turn the things we are good at into our focus, the faster our values get translated, top-down.
Culture starts at the top, but can’t be just a written code. Set your culture, before someone else does.