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
Ready to publish: two manager-focused book projects coming to life in different formats
In the next few weeks, two of my projects focused on manager and leader development are coming to life in very different formats. The Book: Wake-Up Calls for Managers For the past several months, I’ve been working to complete and publish a collection of articles to...
Ready to publish: two manager-focused book projects coming to life in different formats
In the next few weeks, two of my projects focused on manager and leader development are coming to life in very different formats. Wake-Up Calls for Managers (the handbook no one hands new managers) and The Manager’s Journey move to publishing. Wake-Up Calls will be available via Amazon.com and The Manager’s Journey will be published in a unique serial format on my blog.
Enough on Giving Feedback—The Real Success Comes from Learning to Receive It
Feedback is a complicated topic. We lament that our managers are either not good at giving it or don’t give it frequently enough. When we get feedback that challenges us to adjust our behaviors to improve our performance, we grow frustrated, angry, or both. Here are three big tips on strengthening as a receiver of feedback:
Making the Career Move to Manager (or not)
At some point in our careers, many of us dance with the decision to manage or remain on a contributor track. There are some great reasons why this might not be a good for you. Yet, at the right time and in the right culture, don’t rule it out. Here are six big reasons why the career move to manager might be perfect for you.
The Management System Creates the Customer Experience—Observations in Excellence and Otherwise
For the management of business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations, the retail or service location is, of course, the ultimate proving ground. The experience for the consumer—good or bad, reflects the organization’s management systems from values, commitment to hiring, leadership development, and operations effectiveness. Here are some examples—good or bad—of the management system in action.
Five BIG Strategy Process Misfires of Management Teams—How to Avoid Them
Few management team activities are more important than those focused on strategy. Few management team activities are more frustrating than those focused on strategy. Here are five big areas management teams struggle with strategy and ideas to help your team get them right.
Rebecca Homkes joins Art Petty to talk strategy and her book Survive, Reset, Thrive
Dr. Rebecca Homkes, author of Survive, Reset, Thrive—Leading breakthrough growth strategy in volatile times, joins Art Petty to talk about the book, her experiences leading high growth teams through strategy, and why we should embrace and leverage uncertainty.
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.
I always want it to rain on 9/11—personal reflections on the day the world changed
I always hope for rain on 9/11. Of the images and emotions seared into my mind from this day, the backdrop of that perfectly blue sky where we saw evil up close and felt the burn of tragedy and loss is something I can’t shake. Clear blue skies amplify my emotions on subsequent anniversaries of that awful day.
Reaching for the Executive Ranks, Part Three—Developing as an Integrative Thinker
The essence of your role as a senior manager is problem-solving through decision-making. Cultivating your critical thinking skills is right up there with the need to lead effectively at scale, project the presence essential to building credibility, and galvanizing support In this article, I share a case study and some resources for strengthening as an integrative thinker.
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.