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
Effort is necessary. Results count.
Effort is necessary. Results count. As an undergraduate at the University of Illinois, I was shocked to receive a C+ on a submission in my business writing course. This was a project I had put considerable effort into and expected to be rewarded with at least an A....
Effort is necessary. Results count.
The leader should recognize and reward results, celebrate successes, advance those who demonstrate the acumen to get things done within the boundaries, and remember to adjust the pace to reflect the human need to recharge before tackling the next big thing
Back-to-School Time is Back to Professional Development Time
I love this time of year. The heat and humidity here in the Midwest give way to cooler, crisp air and some fabulous fall days. And, of course, it’s back-to-school time. It’s also time for the fall sessions of my two flagship professional development programs, the Senior Manager Program and the New(er) Manager Program.
“The beatings will continue until morale improves.” Bad manager practices
They’re still out there: lousy managers that lead by fear and intimidation. Imagine being on the receiving end of the practices shared here.
Four Big Topics from the Succeeding with Challenging Conversations Programs
Strengthening as a workplace communicator takes focus and deliberate effort. In a summer filled with multiple corporate workshop programs focused on Succeeding with Challenging Conversations, here are four big topics that energized the groups. Use the ideas in great communication health!
A return of the manager as a character in a horror story?
The toxic manager style is alive and functioning in too many organizations. In my practice, I hear from clients daily about the approaches and tactics of these managers—some responding to the pressures from above and others seemingly thriving in leading by intimidation. This latter group—those thriving by promoting fear—are the stuff of evil characters in a horror story.
For Managers: Stop the Drama Storms by Bringing the Rules for Success to Life
Culture in a group is too important to be left to chance. Managers must work together with group members to define what it means to collaborate, communicate, problem-solve, and innovate in pursuit of their function’s charter.
The Grit Behind the Grime: How Summer Jobs Teach Lasting Life Skills
It turns out, those dirty, sweaty summer jobs we held earlier in our lives teach some foundational lessons. I love that I learned to grind with some tough, grimy tasks. And most of all, I love the lessons I learned about people and leading along the way.
Cultivating the Self-Confidence to Take Chances on You
Part of deciding to lead is determining whether you care enough to want to create, build, or fix more than you fear criticism or failure.
Let’s Rethink Summer School—A Program for Motivated Managers
The Summer School for Managers program offers a low-stress opportunity to sharpen your skills, network with some great people, and do it from wherever your travels take you.
Summer and Fall 2024 Professional Development Catalog from Art Petty
As we enter the always busy summer season, here’s the latest in leader and manager development programming from Art Petty. These are not just training programs. I blend coaching + multi-month cohort work, and for several programs, outside guest experts to create sustained learning and development experiences.