KRACH’S articles
In Memory of My Dad: His Secret Advice on Getting Out of a Jam
It was late at night before I was heading off to college and my dad was getting a little philosophical. He had consumed a few of what he now proudly called “Purdue Boilermakers.” These used to be just “boilermakers,” but since I was going “to do Engineering at Neil Armstrong’s School,” the name got upgraded.
Good leadership is about balance and caring
Good leadership is about balance and caring. Dan Goldin, one of the most gifted leaders and mentors I know, shares how his “natural” ability as a mentor came only after some “crushing” life lessons.
5 Secrets to Getting a Mentor Relationship Right
There’s no better catalyst for building transformational leaders than mentor relationships–if they’re done right. I’ve asked a few of the stars I’ve mentored over the years to share their words of wisdom on getting mentorship right–from the mentee’s perspective.
Never Look Too Good Or Talk Too Smart–Part II–Parenting Superpower
My last 3 chiefs of staff recently had their first babies and they all asked me the same question: “What should I do to be a great parent,” Since they consider me a “professional” based on having raised three children successfully to adulthood and now perfecting those skills with our seven-year-old twins. I told them it’s simple. It just follows the same leadership rules of building a company.
What is the Most Counterintuitive Leadership Superpower? Never Look Too Good Or Talk Too Smart
The best leaders I know share a common and under-appreciated “superpower.” It isn’t being the smartest person in the room, and it definitely isn’t magically having all the answers. Many of best motivators share something else in common: they are willing to poke fun at themselves in order to disarm, build trust and create a safe environment.
Global Innovation–A Race the US Can’t Afford to Lose
Today, victory doesn’t go to the strongest. It goes to the fastest. The news is full of stories about international […]
How Do You Make Your Weaknesses Your Strengths?
A multi-billion dollar market opportunity, and a team that’s not pulling together. How Keith Krach turned weakness into strength to […]
How Do You Make Your Weaknesses Your Strengths? Building High-Performance Teams
Imagine having your best people come up with a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe a little threatening? Now imagine their list of your weaknesses is three times longer than their list of your strengths. Humbling! But it was just what I was hoping for.
Want To Hire The Best? Check Out This Rockstar Formula
It was 6:00 am. I was just sitting down with a fresh coffee to get an early start on the day at Ariba, and my phone rang. Again. I knew who it would be—Tina. This would be the fourth time she was calling to tell me how much she wanted to come work with us. Tina seemed super sharp. Motivated. She had a BA from Harvard, where she was also varsity cross country and track & field. And she had a Masters from Stanford. But she was right out of school and had little tech experience.
DocuSign’s profound impact on the planet that will make our great grandchildren proud
We had a truly inspiring DocuSign IMPACT Foundation Board meeting yesterday and I wanted to share this updated infographic. It is a beautiful illustration of paying it forward.
Want to Build a High-Performance Team? Start with Trust.
Right from the start, we thought if we could create the category of B2B ecommerce, Ariba could be a rocket ship. But, one quarter, early on, some big deals got delayed, and our team started getting anxious. Instead of working together to come up with solutions, everyone started pulling in different directions. To me, this pressure situation was a clear symptom of a lack of trust, and I knew we needed to do something about it.
