All Posts

  • Let that sink in. That’s a big “what if?” Or is it? Does making Manager or even VP make you supremely confident in yourself? Sometimes yes. But leaders are human too. I’ve worked with a lot of managers over the course of my career. In many cases, it’s been like pulling teeth to get them…

    Read more

  • “It’s not about me. It never was.” The writers of Ted Lasso get it. In the past week, I’ve attended two virtual sessions, one hosted in the UK, the other in the US. Both used examples featuring Ted Lasso. In fact, the UK event was completely about lessons we can learn from the show. Like…

    Read more

  • Find Your Swagger

    Resilience is crucial for dealing with change. So is confidence. As an aspiring leader, you will face many situations that will require you to lead change. In those times, you will be looking to your team members to show resilience and confidence. So how can you help prepare them for those situations. What can you…

    Read more

  • Optimism

    “It will get better.” We hear this advice all the time. Sometimes, it’s unsolicited and poorly timed so it’s not always well-received. You’re trying something new. Doing something for the first time. Dealing with something unexpected. Managing your way through a challenging situation. Stress is normal when we’re under pressure. Starting can be scary. We…

    Read more

  • What’s the point?

    These days, I see so much that talks about how frameworks are insufficient, ineffective, incomplete, or out of date. I hear so much about how complex humans are and that we can never know everything, or even enough, about them to customize our efforts to support them. I read so much about how the data…

    Read more

  • Standing on Shoulders

    We often hear the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants,” which generally refers to using the understanding gained by those who have come before us. A popular example of the phrase is said to have appeared in a 1675 letter by Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further [than others], it is by…

    Read more

  • Help them help you

    I’ve written before about my belief that everyone is doing and trying their best. You can see those here and here. Today on LinkedIn, I came across a response to the following question… A team member keeps missing crucial deadlines. How should you offer constructive feedback? Among the valuable pieces of advice from Edwina Pike,…

    Read more

  • Do you care?

    Good morning. I’m enjoying my first cup of the new week, and after making a comment on a LinkedIn post about the importance of leaders who care, I find myself here, writing this, for you. If you are a leader, would you describe yourself as someone who cares? If you are not a leader but…

    Read more

  • Eliminate Uncertainty

    I saw this quote this morning and had to share it. I think it’s so true. Too often, project teams miss this altogether and go instead to “fixing the resistance” they’re seeing as their initiative rounds its final corner. Is that relatable to you? As projects near their end (I.e., launch, implementation, go live, whatever…

    Read more

  • Oh, you’re busy?

    Weird, I thought it was just me. This is the opening line of Chapter 7 of Hal Elrod’s The Miracle Morning. If you’re not familiar with it, check it out here. It goes on to say: “One of the most common concerns I hear from people is the idea of adding anything new to their…

    Read more