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I stink at receiving constructive feedback from people I value most in my organization.  It is my Achilles heel.  To become a better leader, I know I must overcome this flaw, so I continue to try new methods and techniques. People see me trying to get better, so I get a lot of second chances.  […]

The “Art of Leadership” requires a continuous balancing of head, heart, and gut. Each situation a person encounters calls for a combination of analysis, empathy, and instinct to be used in different proportions. Effective leaders learn to trust each component. They constantly experiment, learn from each experience, and incorporate those learnings into the next situation […]

Hire people better than you, then display the courage to let them prove it. Few actions define the character of a leader more than selecting, empowering and celebrating the achievements of people who are capable of taking the organization farther than the leader him/herself. Be intentional about it…

– Always put the professional and emotional needs of your people before your own. – Get to know someone first as an employee, then as a person, then as an employee. – Never take credit for something if you can give credit to someone else. – Defend your people from those who would do them […]

Culture is not the dye color used in a garment.  It is not the style of cut or choice of accents.  Culture is the “fabric” you choose to make that garment including the combination of yarns and type of weave.  The right fabric allows your people to move freely, feel comfortable and be their best […]

With every new job comes an opportunity to reinvent yourself as a leader. What strengths do you want to leverage? What behaviors do you want to change or stop altogether? Define the kind of leader you want to be going forward. Identify the ways you can improve your personal and professional brand. Write them down […]

You cannot offer too many compliments or words of appreciation.  Some leaders feel the need to use them sparingly less their comments sound too routine or their people begin to feel a sense of entitlement. Employees who understand what they are doing well, and that you appreciate what they do, are more engaged.  Go ahead […]

I believe that Trust and Transparency are the core elements of building great relationships in the workplace.  Being transparent, however, about who we truly are as individuals and professionals…our strengths, flaws, aspirations…makes us feel vulnerable. Some leaders say that people must first earn their trust before they are willing to share sensitive information.  In other […]

Culture is the organizational extension of the way leaders build relationships inside a company…and it starts at the very top. Culture is created, sustained and changed from the inside out…the way a leader manages relationships across the organization will define the culture, regardless of whether she wishes it or not. The CEO and President cannot […]

If “wanting to be liked by your employees” is a leadership flaw, then count me among the world’s worst bosses. Some of my most valued friends are people I work with every day. I worry about the impact of critical conversations we have on our friendship. Despite my concerns, I engage in those conversations because […]