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.
Career Reinvention Journal™—Don’t Let Fear Keep You Locked in Misery
As Frank Herbert offers in the classic science fiction book, Dune, “Fear is the mind-killer.” Don’t let your instinctual reactions to the idea of making a career change keep you locked into something that no longer works for you.
Leadership Caffeine™— Success Demands Unity of Purpose
What we want as leaders is deep immersion from our team members. Yet, our systems, numbers, and approaches mainly generate transactional involvement. They lack unity of purpose.
Free Mini-Course/Webinar: How to Get Unstuck & Take Control of Your Career
If a career pivot is on your mind and you want some hard-earned guidance for jump-starting the process, join me on 7/21 at noon central for: How to Get Unstuck & Take Control of Your Career!
Leadership Caffeine™—Is There a Leadership Reset Button?
Are there leadership do-overs? The answer is a firm, “It depends.” In this article, I share the circumstances where it is appropriate to hit your Leadership Reset Button and I offer guidance for succeeding with this important work.
Career Reinvention Journal™—A Primer for Getting Started
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve thought about doing something different in your professional life. While many people daydream about the work, only a tiny percentage do something about it. My goal is to help raise that percentage. Here are some steps and tips to help you move out of your head or off the couch and into action.
Leadership Caffeine™—Focus on Purpose and Principles, Not Tips and Hacks
We’re wired in this era to look for tips, hacks, and cheat codes, particularly for complex challenges. Who doesn’t want a shortcut that delivers the goods? Yet, some challenges don’t lend themselves to shortcuts. Take managing and leading effectively as cases in point.
Revisiting the Connection Between Physical Transformation and Career Reinvention
There’s no separating the cascading benefits from working on both your fitness and your career at the same time. The physical transformation feeds the career reinvention and vice-versa.
Gain Vital Skills and Grow Your Success—Summer Professional Development Catalog
Fresh off of leading three outstanding cohorts through a live-online version of my Manager Development Program for New(er) Managers, we are setting up several new mid and late summer opportunities. We would love to help you or your team members level up their skills. Choose your flavor for this summer’s professional development work!
Leadership Caffeine™—Get Better Daily
Developing as a leader doesn’t follow a straight line. It’s different for every individual. Focus on getting better at this job daily. Here are five ideas to help you jump-start this good work.