We are the same great team, with the same great service, but we have expanded our solutions to match the ever-changing needs of today’s leaders. We are excited to not only announce the evolution of our talent management solutions, but to welcome a new group of experts to our team that will partner with our clients to elevate all aspects of their business. Our Talent Selection solutions now include new advances in methodology, reports and processes. TalMetrics®, our proprietary assessment tool makes it easier than ever to select the right person…the first time. TalMetrics is so versatile that the same assessment can be used in onboarding, development and teambuilding, in addition to selection. Our unique approach to leadership, which we call "Talent Focused Leadership®" integrates our proprietary Leadership Roadmap ® to elevate your leaders and teams to new levels of performance to drive success and find solutions where none existed before. Please visit http://glsworld.com/about-us/our-team to learn more about Jeff Jones, Suzanne Matteson, Deb Ventura, Dr. Elia Gourgouris, Eleanor Lyons and Deb Ventura - the new members of our team. They bring over 185 years of combined experience as business leaders and consultants. We’re excited about what they bring to our team - and yours.

I was recently watching the Heat-Bulls playoff series and was amazed by the leadership Tom Thibodeaux (Thibs) of the Chicago Bulls showed during the series. As full disclosure, and as many of you know, I grew up in Chicago, and even though I haven’t lived there for almost 30 years, you grow up a Chicago fan—always a Chicago fan. To set context, the Chicago Bulls were playing without their MVP star guard Derrick Rose, who has been out the entire season due to a torn ACL. They also were missing their All-Star forward, Luol Deng, and their starting point guard. Additionally, their All-Star center, Joakim Noah, was struggling with Plantar Fasciitis and obviously in serious pain. After winning a game 7 on the road to advance to play the Heat, considering all of their injuries, most experts predicted they would go down easy and fast against the Heat. But here’s where the leadership of Coach Thibs amazed me. Instead of focusing on all of the things he couldn’t control (the injuries to his top players) he kept stating a phrase that captured the imagination of his team and the city of Chicago. "We have enough to win." He said it so many times that his team rallied around the phrase and played to the best of their abilities, so much so, that they defeated the Heat the first game in Miami, much to the basketball world’s amazement. This series of events reminded me of Captain Abrashoff’s experience aboard USS Benfold. Challenged with taking over one of the worst performing ships in the Pacific fleet, instead of focusing on what he couldn’t control (he didn’t get to choose his crew or his budget) he accomplished one of the greatest turnarounds, culminating with USS Benfold being award the Spokane trophy 12 months later as the top performing ship in the Pacific fleet. He focused on what he could control, the talent of his team and creating a culture where everyone on the ship believed that they were the "Best Damn Ship in the Navy" even before they were. You’ve heard it before and you know it, and the two experiences above are great reminders for all of us. Things move fast these days, and change moves even faster. There are countless things we can’t control … all giving us a feeling that we can’t succeed. Don’t believe it. Focus on what you can control, it will be enough to overcome the things you can’t control. Believe in your team and then they’ll believe in themselves. Don’t deny yourself the win—go for it. Create the phrase that best captures your moment and lead your team new heights.

Matthew Shaer recently wrote an article in New York Magazine entitled The Boss Stops Here discussing the current state of flatter-transparent organizations and the evolution of bossless environments. This topic was picked up by NPR’s OnPoint radio show where I was a guest last week—needless to say we had quite an interesting conversation regarding this topic. As you may recall from my stories in It’s Your Ship, the military invented and perfected the top-down command and control environment, but I don’t think it works anymore with today’s workforce. Not only are we more globalized, but with social media and the Internet we now are privy to what’s going on in every other organization. Our people are also much more demanding. They want more than just a job, they want a work experience. In my experience, I found that a top-down approach just doesn’t inspire commitment, it doesn’t create cohesion, and it doesn’t get the results we need to stay ahead in our competitive world. Years ago even before hearing the term "bossless" while in command of USS Benfold, I began to transform my leadership style to do just that—be a leader, not a boss. I partnered with my crew to create an environment fueled by three key attributes: trust, ownership and no fear. These attributes created the foundation for our success and much to my surprise were the highlights in today’s discussion. On Benfold I often said "Its Your Ship," signaling to the crew that they had the responsibility and the power to be their own boss. It was up to all of us to create the workplace of our choice—not just mine. Let’s get one thing straight—a bossless organization is not a leaderless one. Leadership is about setting the tone and direction for the entire team, division and organization that makes it possible for bossless to become a reality. Only when you combine great leadership with direction and a great culture can you unleash the talent, innovation and accountability of your people. This potent combination is the fuel that will drive your people’s productivity, performance and ultimately your bottom line. At the end of the day a bossless leader drives the creation of a workplace where everyone shows up as owners. You’ll see your team come together in an environment where each and every team member has each other’s backs and being the best is their only objective.

Looking toward the future is a positive thing, and a recent article by staffing company Robert Half International says that in order to plan for the future, companies should start developing leaders now. GLS’ leadership development program aligns with the advice given in the article, step No. 1 being determining who thrives on change. GLS says that the first step is to choose the "crew" that best fits where your leaders are in their leadership journey. Companies should allow strong performers to show their abilities and train leaders in many areas of the company. Mentoring programs should be set in place to help facilitate cross-pollination, along with challenges along the way. Professional development programs, such as GLS’ Leadership Development Program,  also are a great way to train. Lastly, keep the lines of communication open. Discuss leadership paths with promising candidates, reviewing aspirations and goals. With senior leaders providing support, structure and feedback, leadership transformation will happen over time, providing effectiveness for the future.

Some say that leaders are born, not made. However, with hard work and preparation, those who want to be effective leaders can morph themselves into greatness. Forbes.com says that some leaders hit their stride early in their careers. Others may take the longer way around and become great later on in life Unfortunately there are those who never make it to greatness. What makes a leader great? This article focuses on five key transitions that great leaders make in their careers.

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has been called "the ultimate disrupter" by Fortune Magazine, and with his recent acquisition of The Washington Post, he is living up to this nickname. The founder and CEO of the $100 billion company, Amazon, reinvented the book industry with his innovative leadership qualities. Now, will he do the same for newspapers? Bezos was named Fortune’s 2012 Businessperson of the Year,  and the magazine specifically highlighted his penchant for taking risks. We at GLS admire leaders who are willing to take risks just like Bezos. Bezos also has been recognized with the National Retail Federation’s Gold Medal Award. This was based on inspirational leadership and creative genius. By reinventing himself and his company as a leader, Amazon emerged to become "Earth’s most customer-centric company." Bezos has all of the qualities of a great leader: purpose, putting people first, awareness, simplicity and personality. Only time will tell how Bezos leads The Washington Post in the years to come, and more importantly, how he changes the entire media landscape.

You’ve worked your way up the corporate ladder, becoming a member of the sought-after management team. All that go-getting to the top and onward and upward attitude is wonderful—until you get there. Then what? Remaining at the top and keeping each day fresh and exciting sometimes is harder than the act of getting there. Leaders and the companies that they are helming tend to get complacent, according to Forbes.com, and many stop taking initiative and lose the competitive spirit. Just as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos is the "ultimate disrupter," great leaders must inspire hope, not fear and constantly reinvent themselves. We are in a time of consistent change, so leaders must ebb and flow along with the changes in their industry. Forbes outlines eight key traps that successful management avoid at all costs to keep the entrepreneurial drive alive: overlooking or ignoring potential problems managing tactics versus leading growth and improvements allowing employees to become complacent; they stop selling change ineffective use of resources mismanagement of corporate culture ignoring development of talent losing passion for the mission A loss of passion is slippery slope, and once your people see that you’re not living up to what you promised in the beginning, that attitude will filter down the pipeline. Always remember to shake things up. Change is sometimes difficult to achieve, but well worth the effort. Your company, your people and your former self will thank you in the end.

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a manager as someone who is in charge of a business, department, etc. A manager, the dictionary says,  directs the day-to-day operations of an organization, and is an essential cog in the wheel. Managers should not be confused with leaders. A leader commands authority and influence. A manager does not require leadership abilities, but it’s best for an organization if they do. The Harvard Business Review lists three top differences between managers and leaders. In knowing the differences, perhaps you can make the move from simply managing your team to leading them. First, a manager counts value instead of creating value. Leaders know how to delegate responsibility and are as much a value-creator as his or her followers. Lead by example and enable people to take action. Secondly, count the number of people outside your reporting hierarchy who come to you for advice. The more that do, the more you are a leader. Managers create circles of power. Leaders create circles of influence. Lastly, leaders drive, motivate and enable others to contribute. Managers simply control the group to accomplish goals. HBR states that "influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control." When did you know that you became a leader?

Are leaders born or made? The answer lies somewhere in between, but we believe tips more toward the made side. In order to teach leadership lessons at an early age, parents and current leaders can take advantage of opportunities along the way, even at Halloween. According to Forbes.com, those who grow up with powerful and successful imaginations will more likely have their dreams develop into those possibilities. There are a myriad of opportunities to play dress-up during the year, but none can be taken as more of a teaching moment than at Halloween. When it comes time to choose between Barbie and a current role model, parents can use the opportunity to teach their little ghouls a history lesson. It’s important to remember that dressing up as a leader still can be fun and educational at the same time. A costume such as an astronaut, lawyer or police officer not only provides a certain look but also can teach kids that being a leader can be cool. It offers a spark to the imagination of what the future may hold. Remember, it’s never too early to celebrate hope.

How does one become a star? There are qualities such as hard work, dedication, keeping your eye on the prize—and sometimes it comes down to pure luck. Those who stand out and emerge from the masses have something that others left behind don’t—leadership abilities. Charismatic characters aren’t afraid to be bold, caring, empathetic and engaging. And, they know how to be all those things wrapped up in one dynamic package. According to a recent Forbes.com article, the one thing that marks the best leaders is the fact that they understand that it’s not all about them. Great leaders understand that it’s not about being right. It’s about what is right for the greater good. They engage, listen, discern and act, with listening being the key component. Leaders with a great ear gain valuable knowledge built up from years of experience and learning from others. Without a keen ear and astute observation, key learning opportunities are wasted. A great leader knows his or her limits and learns from others when necessary. True leaders do not treat their people as subordinates. They give credit where credit is due and take blame when necessary. They admit fault and mistakes and know how to compromise when necessary. They aren’t just figureheads there to take all the credit. They know how to jump in and work just as hard as the rest of the team. Finally, great leaders get results. They are an inspirational bunch, focusing on internal collaboration, and they have a set of values, a vision, a mission and a clear strategy. What marks a great leader in your book?