Wake-Up Calls for Managers
For the hard parts no one prepares you for
When the path isn’t clear, the stakes are high, and the answers aren’t obvious—this is where managers struggle most.
Wake-Up Calls for Managers delivers practical, real-world guidance for navigating:
- Tough conversations
- Leading through uncertainty
- Building influence without authority
- Driving results through others
The Leadership Caffeine Blog
The myth of ‘just let your work speak for itself’ Influence Fitness Series #1
Overheard: “I don’t understand it. My team consistently delivers. For the last project, we did the work of several teams and hit the deadline, yet I’m not getting credit for it.” “I quietly deliver great results, and while my boss seems to appreciate and count on me,...
The myth of ‘just let your work speak for itself’ Influence Fitness Series #1
Getting ahead in the workplace is a blend of several important factors, including your abilities, results, alignment with your boss, culture fit, and others. Yet, there’s an X-factor that too many good people overlook: influence born of relationships in the right places.
If “Next” for Your Career is On Your Mind, This is a Great Place to Start
For many individuals, figuring out what’s next in their careers is a vexing problem. That’s why I’ve created a new workshop program to help. Introducing the Six-Hour Career Energize Saturday Series.
Designing A Bug-Free Operating System for Great Managers
Rethinking the Operating System Needed for Manager Success Late last year, I shared an article at SmartBrief on Leadership, introducing the idea of the Manager's Operating System—a set of core programs or instructions that must be present to create a healthy working...
We’re Evaluating Professional Development Investments the Wrong Way
The search for the return on investment from professional development activities has been a long, unresolved quest for many HR and Learning and Development professionals. It turns out we’re looking at it all wrong. The real challenge is for an organization’s managers and leaders to CREATE the return on investment from professional development.
Hope Proved to Be a Bad Strategy for LUV—Lessons from the Southwest Airlines Debacle
There are some painful and painfully obvious leadership and management lessons from the recent Southwest Airlines debacle. Deming is spinning in his grave over this one.
January Development Opportunities for New(er) and Experienced Managers
Something I always did as a corporate executive was to make sure as many of my team members as possible were set up for professional development early in the new year. I love helping my team members launch into the new year with their brains boiling with ideas, fresh approaches, and energy for the challenges ahead! Now that I’m the one doing the training and coaching, I’m excited to offer the same opportunity to you and your team members.
The Secret to Leadership Success Isn’t So Secret
Every year, a ridiculous number of books are written on leadership, and we consume them in volume, hoping to find the secret to leadership success. It’s not that hard, and it’s not a secret. Just ask them what they need from you.
Ten Life Lessons Learned & Reinforced From A Year Well Lived
Some years in our lives are more noteworthy than others. 2022 was one of those for us. Here are ten life lessons learned (or reinforced) from a year well-lived.
The Old Model of Manager is Broken—It’s Time to Start Fresh
It’s time to replace the tired, outdated model we have for identifying, developing, and tasking managers. Given the complexity of our environment today, we need to find new ways to harness the creative and productive power of inspired people, not send them running out the door or leave them idling in place.
The Skills of Effective Diplomats Offer Guidance for Managers and Leaders
In this article, I draw from history lessons to suggest a fresh model and set of skills based on old-school nation-state diplomacy to help today’s senior managers and organizational leaders navigate the challenges posed by varying constituent groups in our volatile era.