Lunchtime Links: Dick Costolo and Comedy’s Role in Leadership

Is the way to solid leadership through a good joke? Depends on who you ask, but it’s not an unheard-of concept  (opens in a new tab). And at least one big-time chief executive got to his perch through a little comedy.

That and more in today’s Lunchtime Links:

Is comedy a key to leadership? If so, Twitter’s CEO, Dick Costolo might be proof. Over the weekend, The New York Times published a piece regarding Costolo’s roots. He got into entrepreneurship via improvisational comedy and still carries that background with him. “People have Plato’s form in their mind of what a leader is, or what a CEO is, and it is a bunch of elements that I really don’t conform to at all,” Costolo told the NYT’s Nick Bilton  (opens in a new tab). “I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I came to the conclusion that I don’t care.” The piece is a must-read, with fascinating leadership lessons.

Lessons from the debate: We might have covered the pre-debate lead-up (opens in a new tab) last week, but BusyEvent’s Brian Slawin has you hooked up for the post-debate lessons  (opens in a new tab), many of which are relevant for conference-runners. A lot of good ones (smirking = bad), but our favorite is: “Make sure that if you hire a host or speaker for your event, that they have control of the situation and won’t let the audience take over.” Jim Lehrer could have used that advice. And don’t forget: There are still three more to go!

Don’t be afraid to pursue: Tom Morrison, the CEO of the Metal Treating Institute and an active public speaker, continues his ongoing “Power of P” series with the importance of pursual  (opens in a new tab): “Don’t let distractions or time wasters keep you from achieving your dream … eliminate them, go for your dreams, and execute your life plan you have built!” What endeavors have you pursued lately?

Stay in charge from the passenger’s seat: Even if you aren’t in charge at your organization, you can still approach your job like a leader, according to Quality Insider bloggers  (opens in a new tab) Christina Tangora Schlachter and Terry Hildebrandt. “If you are not in a position to formally influence the change,” they suggest, “instead of trying to create a leadership role, take the opportunity to change your own attitude, behaviors, and beliefs.” They also suggest that a key role you could play is one of influence.

Not a leader but want to be one? If so, what have you done to help get into the leadership mindset? Tell us in the comments.

(TMG archive photo)