we knew why we were there

Ken [Blanchard’s] father was a naval officer who retired early as a captain. When asked why he left the service early, he replied, “I hate to admit it, but I like the wartime Navy a lot better than the peacetime one. Not that I like to fight, but in wartime we knew why we were there and what our purpose was. We knew what we were trying to accomplish. The problem in the peacetime Navy is that since nobody knows what we are supposed to be doing, too many leaders think their full-time job is making other people feel unimportant.” That’s what happens when you are running an organization without a clear purpose.

Ken Blanchard & Phil Hodges

The Servant Leader: Transforming You Heart, Head, Hands & Habits. 2003. J.Countryman.

“reflect credit” and “absorb blame"

Irv Grousbeck, a legendary Stanford professor of management, encourages would-be entrepreneurs to “reflect credit” and “absorb blame.”

People are smart. They spot phonies. Managers who step into the klieg lights when things go well — and duck behind the curtains when they don’t — are risking their employees’ trust, and asking for politics.

Joel Peterson, Professor of Management at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In A Great Business, People Trump Things. Forbes Magazine. 10/17/2012

the reluctant leader

To my way of thinking, part of the servant leader mentality is that of the reluctant leader. The reluctant leader is a person who assumes a leadership role only when necessary or when it seems to be the most logical serving choice. The reluctant leader takes action and leads when to do otherwise would be self-serving. There are indeed times and situations where it would seem easier to remain silent and withdrawn. Those are the moments when the reluctant leader makes the decision to rise up.

Dr. W. Kevin Barksdale

Dean, Professor of Management, Ken Blanchard College of Business. 2010.

make your presentations public

Within two hours of the keynote Apple made the video of the entire two-hour presentation available on its website. It’s not buried on the site, either. It’s on the home page. Presentations are now part of your brand’s story and marketing message. Post the slides on your website and on a sharing site such as Slideshare.net. The slides bring your brand story to life.

Carmine Gallo

“10 Presentation Techniques You Can (And Should) Copy From Apple's WWDC Keynote.” Forbes. 6/11/2013

time behind the scenes

Practice. A lot. A 20-minute demo and product launch can take up to 250 hours at Apple. That includes the time spent on creating the story line, designing slides, testing the demo, and on-stage rehearsals. Apple’s slides are brilliant and the presenters are smooth and ‘effortless’ because speakers and designers spend a lot of time behind the scenes to get everything just right.

Carmine Gallo

“10 Presentation Techniques You Can (And Should) Copy From Apple's WWDC Keynote.” Forbes. 6/11/2013