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
Leaders, Skip the Annual Resolutions—Use this Hack to Lead More Effectively Daily
The annual January 1 calendar reset is the time many of us vow to do better. Whether it's getting in shape, waking up and pursuing a dormant goal, or, as in the case of the leaders I work with, striving to be more effective for themselves and their team members in the...
Leaders, Skip the Annual Resolutions—Use this Hack to Lead More Effectively Daily
For leadership success, skip the annual resolutions and focus on this 5-10 minute daily routine. It’s a powerful way to frame your days with success.
Nightmares in Workplace Communications and How to Strengthen as a Communicator
Most of us have a few communication moments in our careers that we would like to either do-over or erase our brains’ memories. Here are a few of mine and what I learned that help me grow as a workplace communicator:
Leadership and Management Book Talk—First Quarter Favorites
Wally Bock and I share thoughts on our favorite leadership and management reads from this year’s first quarter on the latest podcast episode.
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.









