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We put a tremendous amount of effort into developing relationships in our lives – whether with family, friends or key stakeholders in our organization. Developing consistent relationship-strengthening activities with people is also vitally important.  We often tend to neglect nurturing the relationships that are closest to us, and therefore most critical for our collective success…

Moving up in the organization is an exciting time. Promotions offer more responsibilities, interesting challenges, and often a higher salary. And if you’re on that track, it’s inevitable that your peers may one day be your direct reports … which can be awkward at best, and distractingly uncomfortable at worst. The stakes get even higher…

As many of you know, I enjoy experimenting with fun and reliable ways to remember ideas that help me be a more effective leader, and to perform at higher levels as a coach, leader, spouse, father, and community leader. This led me to my latest experiment, the Five F’s of performance – Focus, Faith, Flow,…

This is going to sound like “coach blasphemy,” but I am going to pose the question anyway: how well do goals work? I’ve seen goal-setting work incredibly well for some people, but in all honesty, I’m not one of them. Do they work for you? If not, I may have an explanation … and an…

Leadership, team, and organizational development efforts are often challenged by being disconnected from the strategy of the organization, too content-centered, and not adaptable to changing needs of a dynamic environment. Development occurs through many different yet integrated methods. While formal training is one aspect, it is only a piece of what people need to flourish…

Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister was a British middle-distance athlete and neurologist who ran the first sub-4-minute mile. He did so after being told it couldn’t be done. Who is your Roger Bannister, the person who makes the impossible seem possible to you? And how can you start becoming your own Roger, thinking bigger and embracing possibilities…

The acronym VUCA has gained modern popularity, and there’s little mystery as to why: has there been a time in recent history when Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity were in such abundance? Considering that this acronym was coined as recently as 1987 – drawing on the leadership theories of Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus and…

I got really irritated the other day because the new pair of pants I purchased – and had worn only once! – got ruined. My dog Halo, in all his joy to see me walk through the door, jumped up on me and his nails snagged the fabric. Honestly, I was really mad, but not…

Life during a pandemic is extraordinarily complex. Processes, rituals, and daily habits we once took for granted have been sabotaged by complications and changes invariably leading to more complications and changes. That complexity – the addition of multiple interconnected parts into our daily lives – can be challenging on many levels. New information may be…

Curiosity is one of the foundational qualities of a leader’s character and plays a vital dual role for those in a leadership position. It is the portal that allows us access to learn about ourselves, the fuel that feeds the flames of our education, inspiration, imagination, creativity, and judgment and allows us to make contributions…

More times than I care to remember, I get in my own way by trying to be perfect. I get stuck in the fixed mindset trying to attain flawless results and perform at extremely high standards in almost all aspects of life. I identify with performing perfectly, finding it difficult to be satisfied with myself…

Much like Johnny Cash, I walk the line. As a coach, of course, I walk a different line than Cash… not the criminal line, not the line between light and dark, but rather the line between being highly supportive and highly directive. Some people would call it tough love … I like that too. But…

One quote that has influenced me both personally and professionally is “that which is measured, improves.” Any change or achievement of which I’m most proud has in some way, shape, or fashion been written down, tracked, and measured. Many connect to this idea when it comes to goals like dropping a few pounds, increasing running…

Many people have trouble relating to others, especially those they may have adverse feelings toward. This is a critical leadership skill, however, and as leaders, we should actively address it. The key is empathic listening – the ability to imagine yourself in someone else’s position and to intuit what that person is feeling. It is…

My son and I play a game of chess almost every morning before he goes to school and I start my day’s work. We began playing as a way to connect and do something together … in theory. The reality is probably more that I like to connect and my competitive son likes beating his…

“The name on the front of the jersey is a hell of a lot more important than the name on the back.” – Herb Brooks This quote by the 1980 Olympic hockey coach is a sentiment we seem to have lost in our country – or at least temporarily misplaced. We seem to have lost…

Emotions, or the physiological states that arouse them, are often what power motivation. As leaders, human motivation must become an important part of our understanding because ultimately, leaders are interested in influencing others toward purposeful action. It’s arguable whether we motivate others or if motivation is only an intrinsic dynamic, but it’s important to understand…

It happened again – plans changed at the last minute because of COVID restrictions. This time it was Thanksgiving dinner that got rearranged because we needed to keep people safe. And so we pivoted. There’s that word again – “pivoted.” It’s the prettier version of adapting or flexing. And I enjoy pivoting about as much…

While my son was home for a few weeks in November, we watched a few movies as a family. One night we were in the mood to watch something light, and so we selected “City Slickers,” starring Billy Crystal. If you have not seen the movie, Billy Crystal’s character Mitch was going through a midlife…

Readership Warning: In this blog post, I am energized by the deep concerns we all have of the pandemic tightening its grip on us yet again. A small reprieve over the late summer months had some of us back to something fairly normal with shopping, some recreation events, and schools open and operating. Some of us got…

On the twelfth day of leadership, my coach gave to me Twelve Deep Breaths One of the most effective ways to reset and center yourself is by taking a deep breath. Short, shallow breathing adds to our stress, causing cortisol to move through our system and making stressful situations worse. Observe high performing athletes just…

On the eleventh day of leadership, my coach gave to me Eleven Additional Minutes of Sleep Leadership is a physical activity!  When we consider our physical leadership, we understand the importance of a healthy diet, adequate hydration, and plenty of exercise. However, we sometimes forego quality sleep for various reasons, including stress and prioritizing sleep.…

On the tenth day of leadership, my coach gave to me Ten Traits of an Emergent Leader “Everyone is a leader; the question is how well are we leading.” An Emergent Leader is focused on performance – individually, in teams, and organizationally. Following are the ten traits of an Emergent Leader. Purposefully / Mission-driven Influential…