This past week I spoke twice in Bogota, Columbia. I was wonderfully hosted by Hi-Cue speakers bureau and presented at the International Customer Service Forum hosted by El Tiempo, the leading newspaper.

I very much enjoyed the people and energy of Bogota. President Alvaro Uribe enjoys an incredibly high approval rating for the progress he’s lead in Columbia. While there are still areas of violence and terrorism, I saw nothing in Bogota that fits the stereotypic imagery of the drug cartel years. There is a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene that would appeal to any visitor. (Citizens there are frustrated by how difficult is has been to overcome the negative perceptions of the past.)

At the end of each presentation, I did a period of questions and answers, something I never do elsewhere. My experience has been that Q & A sessions typically fall flat for these reasons: 1. people are hesitant to ask questions in front of their peers, 2. the questions they do ask are often limited in the teaching application to others (i.e. the questions are narrowly focused or self-serving) and 3. many questions aren’t really questions but an exhibition of how much the asker knows.

I experienced none of those things in Columbia. What I found was a wealth of participants who were eager to ask very insightful questions. Nobody grandstanded their knowledge; the questions were an attempt to learn. I had the best Q & A sessions of my professional speaking career in Bogota.

I can’t explain why that happened, but I think Columbia in general and Bogota in specific are focused on growing their businesses and participation in the global marketplace. The relatively new stock market there has been growing in leaps and bounds, and Columbians in general impressed me as professionals who are eager and anxious to learn.

My experience in Bogota was exceptional due to my new friends at Hi-Cue as well as the terrific audiences I got to engage when I spoke.

Before you buy into the argument that the wealthy aren’t taxed enough, consider:

The wealthiest 1% of the population earn 19% of the income but pay 37% of the income tax.

The top 5% earn 33% but pay 57%.

The top 10% earn 44% but pay 68%.

I have a degree in economics. Here’s something I learned early on: if you want to stifle or strangle an economy, raise taxes on the most productive participants.

In a tough economy, I have no problem with tax cuts for Americans who are struggling, but I’m tired of hearing the wealthy blamed as if they aren’t carrying their fair share of the tax load. The reality is that they are carrying more than a fair share.

I needed some cash for an upcoming trip so visited my bank to get a check cashed.

The young man in the teller line greeted me cheerfully and asked how he could be of service.

“I need to cash a check,” I replied.

“Do you have an account here?” he asked.

I was amazed. “Are you kidding?” I said, “I have a tough time cashing my own checks against the accounts I have here.”

He might have thought I was being flip, but he asked for my driver’s license and my bank card which I swiped and entered the security code for. Then has asked for another form of identification.

See what I mean?

Before appearing on television show The Big Idea, I was in an eatery in the Portland airport talking to one of the show’s producers. She was interviewing me about my views and philosophy of business and leadership.

When I finished the call, a gentleman approached and introduced himself. He was a doctor from a major medical center. “I don’t know who you are or who you were talking to but I just wanted to say ‘amen’ to what you were saying!”

He explained that the leadership and business principles I talked about on the call were sadly missing at his place of employment and shared that his boss made his life harder, not easier. He was frustrated by the barriers to doing a better job and making a bigger difference in his work.

I was grateful for his positive feedback but discouraged that a highly educated and obviously committed professional working for a major institution was so dismayed by the lack of good leadership in his organization.

Good leadership is rarely easy but it is relatively simple. Let the good doctor’s comments be a warning to leaders everywhere.

Michael Phelps has surpassed Mark Spitz’s record for winning the most medals in a single Olympics. That’s old news.

What is interesting is a comment Mark Spitz made when asked about how he now feels. His response, “What I’m thinking now is, he’s got the burden of inspiring the youth as they go forward. That’s a relief.”

I don’t get it. Inspiring young people is a burden?

Maybe Spitz’s comment was taken out of context or incomplete as quoted. I hope so. He seems like a good egg, so I’m puzzled about why he’d think he had to inspire anyone and secondarily why he considered that a burden.

None of us, no matter how successful, are forced by law to be a positive role model to others. That isn’t an obligation unless the successful person chooses to make it so.

And influencing anyone positively should been seen as an opportunity. The greater the visibility and success the great the potential positive impact. That is the opportunity of leadership.

I understand the successful people who become celebrities are subjected to scrutiny that regular folks are not. That seems to me to be a price to be weighed against the attainment of celebrity. Some celebrities have deemed the price too high and chosen to drop out of the public spotlight.

Others have not only kept the spotlight but benefited greatly from it. It is disingenuous to enjoy the benefits and complain about the costs.

We often hear celebrities whining about their burdensome responsibility as role models. They have several options as I see it, and whining is the least gracious.

…without being informed.

The right to vote is an important one and should never be taken lightly. Voting on a whim and without good reason is just as bad as not voting. Being an informed voter takes time and effort but is necessary to making a good decision. Easy information isn’t necessarily good information. I wonder how many votes have been cast on the basis of a candidate’s appearance or a good sound byte?

I respect anyone’s right to vote for whomever they choose, but I hope for the good of our country and each other they have good reasons for the vote they cast.

In my new book, The Encore Effect: How to Give a Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do, I talk about dealing with the pitfalls that can kill a remarkable performance.

In essence, I believe we need to do what we can to prevent potential pitfalls and be prepared for pitfalls beyond our control.

I’m reminded that there are some pitfalls we can’t anticipate.

Recently I cut myself pretty good while shaving before a speech. I carry a septic pencil and did everything I could to get the bleeding to stop (short of sticking the little piece of tissue paper on the cut). When I went on stage, all was well. About thirty minutes into my presentation, I started bleeding.

In twenty two years of professional speaking, this was a first.

Obviously I couldn’t pretend nothing was out of the ordinary-the audience could tell I was bleeding. I used my handkerchief to blot and hopefully stop the bleeding. I apologized to the audience. And a little later I got a laugh from something humorous I said about my unusual situation.

And I kept bleeding, just not as much.

The audience members were great. Nobody recoiled in horror, and they appreciated my professionalism (based on feedback from several that I received later).

And I think they were empathic because they know stuff happens.

When stuff you can’t anticipate or control happens, you choose carefully how to respond.

There are a few lessons in my new experience and they are familiar but worth remembering. First, don’t let a pitfall fluster you. It is harder to deal with when you’re panicked. Secondly, be honest and admit what’s going on. Don’t try to hide something that is obvious. Third, ask for understanding. Most will give it. What about those who don’t? Don’t worry about it. And finally, if appropriate, use humor to lighten the mood.

Some pitfalls we can avoid. Some we can prepare for. Others are spur-of-the-moment tests.

Mark is featured as this month’s Thought Leader in his article titled, Why Leaders Fail, published in Maximum Impact’s premier leadership newsletter, Leadership Wired.

You can read Mark’s insights as to why leaders fail, the lessons they must learn from failure and how they can prevent it by accessing the online edition of Leadership Wired.

Pastor Rick Warren and Saddleback Church did a good thing by holding a discourse with both Obama and McCain. The goal was civility, a value we can agree to be important regardless of our faith or lack of it. Each candidate was asked the same questions without hearing how the other answered. The tone was upbeat and the forum was informative. While I thought I knew each candidate’s beliefs and platform fairly well, I learned some new and important things.

Commentators said that McCain answered with anecdotes while Obama’s answers were more “complex.” I found many of Obama’s answers to be obtuse. He came across as thoughtful and sincere but seemed afraid of offending the evangelical audience with his answers.

Granted McCain’s platform is probably closer to the majority of those in attendance, he did an excellent job at clarity, brevity and illustration. Often he let his personal stories speak for themselves. His delivery, like Obama’s, came across as very sincere.

Both men projected a genuine humility and willingness to admit failings.

Regardless of your politics, a forum like many of us witnessed last night that focused on civil inquiry is good for America and good for our political process.

5 Ways to Learn Like a Leader

Mark was pleased to be a guest on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch which aired Thursday, August 14th, on CNBC. In this exclusive web extra, Mark shares the Five Keys to Learn Like a Leader. Click here or the image to watch the video.

Mark also shared a brief Leadership IQ assessment with The Big Idea’s audience. You can find out your Leadership IQ by taking this brief, self-scored assessment on your leadership capability. And, you’ll get some great ideas on boosting your leadership IQ while your at it…

Finally, Mark shared his ideas with The Big Idea on How Leaders Communicate in this insightful article every leader should read.

Read the complete recap of Thursday’s The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch and, if you watched the show or enjoyed the material posted on its site, please be sure and leave Mark a comment with your own insights on leadership learning, communication and how to develop effective leaders.