This past week I had a very scary and potentially life-threatening situation in my car. The service I experienced was nothing short of exemplary from one of the best service organizations I have ever known. This particular scenario is one deserving of recognition and from which we can all learn.

A few years ago I wrote a piece entitled: ‘Truth, Trust and Transparency – where is the line for you?” This post was extremely popular amongst my clients. Not surprisingly, the topic of transparency in leadership continues to be in the forefront of business leaders’ minds. What are we talking about?

With all the everyday pressures of our careers, some wonder why even hire a leadership coach? It may appear to be ‘just more thing’ on a long list of ‘to do’s. In fact, not too long ago, executives who hired an executive or leadership coach were looked down upon as ones that were on their way out.

That was, and still is, obsolete thinking.

There are many reasons that have helped raise the profile of the leadership development industry. Yet, what can a person really hope to gain from work with a leadership consultant or coach?

I believe in the power of stories. In fact, as many of you know, my first book is a compilation of stories of the people I have met along my journey who have taught me so much just through living their lives and how they intersected with mine. Each and every one of us haev the opportunity to learn and teach through our lives. It was incredible to read in The New York Times, the perspective of a world-class CEO and his integration of stories into day to day business.

Trust can often been an illusive component in business. We have all been privvy to empty conversations, vapid meetings, and glad-handing all void of true trust in the other person/persons in the room. From what many of my clients share, the pervasiveness of social media and technology in business can help or hinder trust in an organization. So, what can we as leaders do to foster a culture of trust in our organizations and between our teams?

Are you finding yourself calling high and working with executives in the C-Suite? There are a few key basic observations which may benefit many who follow “A Fine Line”. In addition, those of you in the C-Suite who read my blogs will appreciate these tips to your employees and others, as well. Those with experience – weigh in!

To be in greatest service to our clients, we must listen and heed to their needs and wants. Thus, we want to thank our clients who participated in our annual Alignment, Inc. client satisfaction feedback survey. Your feedback is valued and will factor into our approach and ongoing services this year. In the spirit of transparency, we want to share the high-level results with each of you. We welcome additional feedback by simply commenting to this post.

Newsweek published a fabulous article on Steve Jobs’ creative genius a few months ago. The top 10 tips from his playbook follow. They are very insightful, and can be helpful for any of us embarking upon a opportunity which commands “out of box” thinking and management of a creative process. These tips are not for every situation within an organization; however, when trying to stimulate and inspire new “green field” ideas, they are spot on…

While recently visiting my parents, I had the opportunity to witness the utmost of customer service in action. What frightened me is how surprised I was – when did expecting stellar service go by the wayside?

The simplest of exchanges resulted in a raving fan and delighted customer. It is amazing what happens when an individual LOVES what he/she does and is committed to being the BEST in the service he/she provides. What so many of us could learn from this example! If this is the standard approach of a Sears delivery team, this could perhaps be a turnaround in the making.

The crisis of the U.S. debt ceiling has taken over all our media channels. It is an issue which cannot be avoided or ignored. The inability of our country’s leaders to come to an agreement on how to move forward threatens the stability of our economy, our security, our credit rating, and potentially even the strategic financial future of the world.

As a business person, I can’t help but wonder why basic business principles can’t be applied to this situation. Those of us in business (and those managing our own households) must embrace reality regularly. We have to make brutally tough decisions every day. Funds are not unlimited; trade-offs must be made and faced. There is no magic button to push…no giant bank in the sky from which to borrow.

A few basic business thoughts for our government leaders to consider: