Steve Farber photo

Party Like a Rock Star

04.26.12 2 Comments

You may not have heard the name, John Segall; you may know him as Jay Jay French.

Still doesn’t ring a bell?

OK, how about the band, Twisted Sister? Or their songs, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” or “I Wanna Rock”?

There you go!

Twisted’s famed front-man, Dee Snider is the guy…well…out front, but Jay Jay is the founder of the band, the manager of the brand, and one hell of a guitarist, to boot. He is, when all is said and done, a savvy business guy, a philanthropist (have a look at his Pinkburst Project) and the consummate entrepreneur.

And, does he have some stories to tell?  What do you think?

And he happens to be a great guy, too.

That’s why, for all of the above reasons, I invited him to be a part of The Extreme Leadership Summit.

Says Jay Jay,

“At the end of the day, Rock and roll is a business with universal business rules. You need to posses the ability to look inside yourself, be honest with what you see, re-invent, and then re-apply. And be fully prepared to be knocked down again.”

A good rule for the rest of us, right?

I hope you can join Jay Jay and me, along with Sally Hogshead, Tommy Spaulding, Brian Mayne, Simon Billsberry, and Loren Slocum at The Summit in August–but for now, here’s a taste.

Surrounded by Platinum and Gold Records, music memorabilia, and a phenomenal vintage guitar collection, Jay Jay sat down with our video crew at his place in New York City for a chat about business, life, and Extreme Leadership.

Ladies and Gentlemen…here’s my friend, Jay Jay French:

The (Most?) Fundamental Leadership Question

04.20.12 7 Comments

Are you frustrated with some of the things you’re seeing around you at work?  Do you wish that “those people” (whomever they might be) would just get their acts together and give you the resources, support, time, etc that you need to do what you need to do?  Do you find yourself saying something like “If these freakin’ customers would just leave me alone, I could get my job done around here”?

Well…you are human.  I get that.  And we all have to deal with at least some people who need attitude adjustments–or maybe even lobotomies.

I get that, too.

Nonetheless, as valid as it might feel, finger-pointing is the last thing we should be engaging in–particularly if we aspire to be worthy of the handle, Extreme Leader.

There’s that old cliche that says for every finger you point at someone else, there are three pointing back at you. A little over-used, maybe? Kind of sappy? Yeah, I guess. But it’s still true. And it serves as a damn good reminder.

So, the next time you find your digit poking in some else’s direction, stop and ask yourself this (most?) fundamental of all leadership questions:

“What can I do, right now,

regardless of what anyone else around here is or is not doing,

to change my piece of this company/organization/world for the better?”

The solutions that pop out may very well surprise you.

Let me know what happens.

And don’t forget to watch your fingers.

Of Airports, Kit Kats, and Brainlessness

02.23.12 9 Comments

Every couple of years, I like to take out this old essay, brush off the dust, and shove it back in the spotlight. Maybe this time it's because I've given up eating sugar, so it's a way to satisfy my still abating sweet tooth. Whatever the reason, I … Read the full article→

5 Words You’ll Never Hear on the Campaign Trail

02.10.12 1 Comment

In this (and every) election year, I find myself amazed all over again at the phenomenal effort our elected and would-be elected officials put into the denial of their own mistakes. They don't ever want to fess up to anything, it seems. 5 words … Read the full article→

Education is Leadership; Leadership is Education

01.31.12 1 Comment

On Sunday morning I talked with Courtney Dwyer of San Diego's CW channel 6 about education, leadership, and using one to re-energize the other--and about the Re-Energize Education event this coming Thursday night. If you're passionate about … Read the full article→

Passion or Work Ethic? Which Comes First?

01.24.12 3 Comments

My good friend and work-ethic expert, Eric Chester, (author of the fantastic Reviving Work Ethic: A Leader's Guide to Ending Entitlement and Restoring Pride in the Emerging Workforce) recently shared with me his perspective on the relationship … Read the full article→

Join Me in San Diego?

01.22.12 2 Comments

Many of you have been asking for this opportunity for a long time. Well…it’s finally here! Over the last couple of years, we’ve developed, piloted and field-tested The Extreme Leadership Workshop, and now, for the first time, we’re … Read the full article→

Declaration of Extreme Leadership in Education

01.14.12 3 Comments

This declaration, written with the input of a team of passionate educators around the US, lies at the heart of the conversation we'll be launching on February 2, 2012 aboard the USS Midway in San Diego. (See my previous post) It is, of course, … Read the full article→

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