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
Guidance for New(er) Managers—Skip the Do-as-I-Would Approach
One of the new(er) managers' most significant mistakes is thinking and acting as if their role is mostly about showing they are super contributors. I run into this regularly with smart people—experts in their field—who assume their primary job is to be that expert on...
Guidance for New(er) Managers—Skip the Do-as-I-Would Approach
One of the new(er) managers’ most significant mistakes is thinking and acting as if their role is mostly about showing they are super contributors. Skip the Do-as-I-Would style of managing and adopt these key behaviors:
Uncover Your Professional Value Proposition to Improve Your Job and Career Success
Whether you’re looking for a job, asking for a promotion, or focused on reinventing your career, you need to be able to articulate and showcase your Professional Value Proposition (PVP). The same goes for situations where you are asking for more, including angling for a promotion or seeking a raise. It turns out, uncovering and articulating your PVP is a challenging exercise. Here are ideas to help:
Leadership and Management Book Talk—Exploring Two Books from Jim Collins
Art Petty and Wally Bock talk about some of the later books in Jim Collins’ Good to Great Series: How the Mighty Fall and Great by Choice. Both of us agree, one is a great business book and highly relevant for our world today.
It’s Time to Rethink Leadership Around Leading for Resilience
In this article, I make the case we’ve been developing and valuing the wrong qualities in our organization’s leaders. We need to focus on a new style of leadership—leading for resilience.
Priceless Leadership Advice from a Mentor
Interestingly, the most important advice I ever received from a mentor about leading and succeeding was all about strengthening my communication skills.
Live-Webinar (free)—Fierce Listening: The Key to Leadership and Career Success
Join us for a great session on a career and leadership critical topic: strengthening as a listener. We’re live-online at 11:00 a.m. central on 5/21 with Fierce Listening: The Key to Leadership and Career Success.
Career Success Demands Adjusting Your Altitude and Traveling Forward in Time
While you might be correct in assuming I’ve read too much science fiction and fantasy, it turns out two skills they don’t teach you in most professional development programs are essential for your success. I’m referencing altitude adjustment and time-travel.
Leadership Caffeine™—Sometimes Leading Means Asking for Help
There’s a lot of stress to go around in our organizations right about now. What you don’t need to do is invite more pressure to your party by holding yourself accountable for having all the answers. Sometimes, you have to ask for help.
Leadership Caffeine Podcast—Robbie Kellman Baxter on The Forever Transaction
Strategy and marketing consultant, Robbie Kellman Baxter joins Art Petty on the Leadership Caffeine Podcast to discuss her latest book, The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave. If you are considering a shift to a membership model, Robbie’s great book is an essential guide to succeeding with this transformation.
Flashback Friday—Make Time to Think Deeply
Note from Art: I’m drawing from my inventory of over 2,000 articles to share ideas that help during this challenging period. The article below is one of my favorites on our need to hit the pause button once in a while. And, I miss my referenced routine of recharging once per week at the local library. Soon…I hope. Be safe!










