You’re smart. Well-educated. Doing well in your career. If it worked and was true to get you here, why rock the boat? If you are like me, there have been times in your career when some Truth (yes, with a capital “T”) that you have held onto is shown to be untrue or, at least, not as black-and-white as you … Read More
Let’s face it: being a leader is never easy, but it’s a whole different ball game during economic or political turmoil. In addition to the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza, a whipsaw election in France, unsettled issues around remote work, and mind-blowing advancements in AI coming every few months, the U.S. election got even more heated after an assassination attempt. … Read More
Not quite as obnoxious as a motivational poster, but almost. The business press, LinkedIn, podcasts, and social media influencers who pass off vapid platitudes as wisdom insist you are always supposed to strive, hustle, achieve, have a great attitude, and live your best life. If you are not, buddy, you are doing it wrong. Thank goodness they can help you … Read More
How many truly great leaders have you worked for? If you are like most of us, it’s not many. There are plenty of leaders that aren’t bad. Even some that are pretty good. But great? Few ever make it that far. That’s why there are so many books, articles, blog posts (like this one), and podcasts about leadership. It’s hard. … Read More
“Wisdom is earned, not given.” That famous quote is from Dante. Yes, that Dante. Fair enough. But you can earn it through study, focus, and reflection. You might ask yourself, “Okay, that’s nice. But why does wisdom matter?” The greater wisdom an individual has in life and business, the less they will be swayed by emotions –one’s own or someone … Read More
What’s your luck in getting innovation through an organization? If you are like the rest of us, the roadblocks and conflicts come fast and furious. Nothing can be as animating for people as an idea they hate. There are a lot of reasons for this. Some are valid, some so-so, others outright ludicrous. But it is the way it is. … Read More
It’s one of those skills everyone says is important, but few ever invest time or money to get better. Communication. So, rather than fight how the world actually operates, we will just give you some very quick tips on how you can improve your communication efforts with audiences internal to work. One-And-Done Doesn’t Work There is a persistent attitude that … Read More
You say you want creativity and innovation. Not to be rude, but are you sure? We’ve heard this rah-rah from business leaders for a few decades now when it comes to innovation not much seems to change. People like the idea of innovation, not the practice. When leaders, especially mid-level managers who are highly motivated never to look bad, see … Read More
What’s the best way to mentor people? When we say mentor, we mean someone who provides guidance, advice, and support to someone who is usually younger than us. Mentoring comes naturally to some; the rest of us have to work at it. While there are several excellent books on the subject, none have addressed the best way to mentor a … Read More
Embarking on an Amtrak train journey across the Western United States, I was struck by three distinct aspects that made this trip unique. It is slow. The United States is behind most developed nations when it comes to rail infrastructure. The California Zephyr, the train that travels between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area, is not what anyone would … Read More
