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Let’s face it: 2020 was a trying year. And throughout it all, people stepped up and continue to do so. They provide health services, ensure grocery stores have items to buy, and so much more. We each have stepped up and continue to do so. We carry on when things seem out of control or…

As 2020 comes to a close and we look towards 2021, few of us could have imagined all that transpired this past year. Our understanding of what is essential and non-essential has been redefined. Old teams were disbanded and new teams were formed to deal with unanticipated events. Working and living in a virtual world…

Tis the season to … begin thinking about January 1. Oh, you thought I was going to say “… be jolly”! While the current year is winding down, leaders are meeting with their teams to identify what worked and what didn’t in 2020 and to solidify goals for 2021. Decisions about priorities and what is…

I love helping companies link organizational culture and business results. I get to help people do more by building their leadership. And I get really jazzed about also helping organizations create positive customer experiences. When I say the word customer, you may be thinking of the people who buy things from a company. Yes, and…

There are a lot of articles written about healthy debate, team alignment, and co-creation. They are filled with insightful advice about team dynamics. Seldom do they discuss when to stop talking and start doing. I’m not saying that there isn’t value in talking; however, when there isn’t a process and deadline for making a decision…

I’ve moved 30 times in my life, held 12 major functional roles in business, married more than once, been part of 18 critical change initiatives (e.g., business transformations, technology upgrades, merger/acquisitions), and recently redecorated my dining room. Since growing up in a military family, my entire life has been a “dance” of changes, and I…

I’m sure there must be a Star Trek episode (or two or three) that deals with “leveraging the wisdom of the system.” The phrase is right down its alley. Their concept of everyone’s input having value is in line with the lessons that the show teaches. Nine times out of ten, the crew of the…

“I don’t really want to change who I am,” said one of my clients after I shared input from several people who worked with him. He was a nice guy, an intelligent person who juggled multiple critical priorities and was driven to succeed in any challenge he encountered. This was his brand. Yet there was…

“May I offer you some feedback?” Those words are harmony to some ears and discord to others. Even when you are open to it, their words can trigger—in a nanosecond—a reaction of (imagine a computer voice): DOES NOT COMPUTE!! DOES NOT COMPUTE!! Our brain instantly recognizes the difference with our own self-view, be it subtle…

I’ve written a number of blogs on staying the course because it’s a topic that consistently surfaces with clients. How do you balance the push for agility and innovation with the fact that you need to give things time to work? Coming from a government agency where the Director rotated every three to four years,…