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
Julie Winkle Giulioni joins Art Petty to Talk About ‘Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go’
A book launch is a big deal, and it's particularly significant when it's the next edition of an already great book. For every leader and manager, I encourage you to check out the third edition of Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go—Career Conversations Organizations Need...
Julie Winkle Giulioni joins Art Petty to Talk About ‘Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go’
Here’s a great interview with career development and leadership expert, Julie Winkle Giulioni! Julie and I explore the current state of career development coaching in our organizations and Julie shares priceless guidance for leaders at all levels, drawn from the 3rd edition of her book with Beverly Kaye.
Effective Leaders Resolve to Improve Daily
Annual resolutions are tempting but mostly empty promises easily discarded. Effective leaders work hard at identifying opportunities to improve daily. Here are some tools to help your cause:
For the New Year, Resolve to Become a Rebel at Work
The gravitational pull of the status quo is powerful in every organization. It takes rebels and rebellion to change. While breaking the rules always comes with risk, learning to guide others through constructive rule-breaking in pursuit of needed changes is a great way to grow your success.
In the Spirit of the Season
Wishing you all the gifts of health, peace, and prosperity in this holiday season. And for those of you who celebrate, a Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Ripple Effects
Sometimes we’re reminded that our actions in the present create someone else’s backstories and memories. As a leader and manager, you have the unique opportunity to directly impact the lives and careers of the people you encounter. Make certain your impact on people ripples positively through time.
Lock in 2019 Professional Development with Challenging Conversations
I’ve long been convinced we work our way to professional success one challenging conversation and one challenging situation at a time. (Think about it.) Of course, learning to succeed in those moments is the critical part. That’s why we put together our online/on-demand program, Crushing It with Challenging Conversations.
For Challenging Conversations, Respect Melts Resistance
The absence of respect breeds toxicity among individuals and across the workplace. Instead of being blinded by your brilliance it pays to take the time to look, listen, learn, and value the person across the table from you. You’ll be pleased with results, including the respect you’ll receive in return.
Navigating the Challenging Conversations of Strategy
In my experience, most strategy discussions go sideways. After all, they are typically about change and we’re wired to fear and resist change. There are however some practices you can adopt to help strengthen the quality of these essential and sometimes existential discussions. Here are 5:
Challenging Conversations—How to Tell an Employee It’s Over
Challenging conversations are inherent in a manager’s job, yet this knowledge doesn’t make it any easier when you have to sit down and let a good person know they’re not cutting it and it’s time for them to go. While you own doing everything in your power to coach, train, and support them, in some instances, the individual’s abilities don’t match up with your firm’s and the job’s needs. Here’s guidance on handling this tough situation with clarity and empathy.
Leadership Caffeine™—Character and Moral Compass
Taking a cue from the late President George H.W. Bush, character and moral compass are essential for good leadership. Here are some ideas to help you bring them to life.










