Unfortunately, many leaders aren’t interested in being mission-driven because it feels “soft” or even “dumb.” The most common response I get from these leaders is, “This mission stuff is fluffy. We are here to make money.” Others flat out say, “we don’t need it.” So while I can understand why people would say these...

Making predictions is tricky. The business environment is changing at a pace we have never seen, which makes getting predictions correct nearly impossible.  Having said that, here are the ones you need to know as a leader.

Most leaders can attest to this truth: Success doesn’t happen overnight or by accident. When you plan, strategize, and maintain the right mindset, it creates sustained performance. Pablo Picasso said, “Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan. There is no other route to success.”  Unfortunately, most managers and executive...

The word authentic is traditionally defined as “real or genuine; not copied or false.” When used in the context of leadership, I describe it as, “how a leader demonstrates and shares their genuine values, stories, and desires.”

It’s a lot easier for people to perform without assistance than having to assist in their performance. While most professionals have a decent sense of what skills they’re good at and which ones need work, most of us don’t have a manager who coaches and challenges us to get from where we are to where we want or need to be.   Most...

If organizations put as much effort into retention as they do in recruiting they would be in a much better position. This is why the best organizations are winning the war for talent by focusing on retention over recruiting.  

Success is rarely ever built on one moment of genius; it’s often built on a shameless refusal to quit. That’s true in many things, leadership included. However, every professional leader has faced challenges on their journey; they are unavoidable and can cause feelings of doubt, fear, frustration, and a sense of defeat.  While no one likes to feel...

No one wants to work at an organization lacking leadership, especially for a long time.  Despite not wanting to be in this situation, most people will stay regardless. Whether it’s the golden handcuffs or convincing our brains that things will change; something keeps us in less than ideal leadership situations.   A recent study found...

Leadership, like life, is a journey and not a destination.   Now I must emphasize one point before you start reading this column that will attempt to make you a better leader. Writing and doing are two different things. Yes, I have spent the last 10+ years of my career studying what the best and worst leaders do, then transferring those lessons to myself...

All psychological safety means is when team members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. Bad leaders and teams are void of this crucial element because they look at being vulnerable, taking risks, and speaking up as negative instead of positive. It’s precisely why they never meet their potential and achieve their biggest goals. The best...