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

Seven Ideas to Help Harness the Power of One-on-Ones 

Seven Ideas to Help Harness the Power of One-on-Ones 

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) One-on-ones are the most valuable engagements on your calendar. By applying the seven strategies outlined here, you can ensure these sessions are productive and transformative, fostering a culture of growth, trust, and innovation. Seven Key...

Seven Ideas to Help Harness the Power of One-on-Ones 

One-on-ones are not just meetings; they are the most valuable engagements on your calendar. By applying the seven strategies outlined here, you can ensure these sessions are productive and transformative, fostering a culture of growth, trust, and innovation.

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How to Survive A Career Panic Attack at Mid-Life

How to Survive A Career Panic Attack at Mid-Life

There are a number of reasons individuals become insecure over their careers and futures in our world of uncertainty and change. In some cases, the insecurity manifests in a full blown career panic attack. While complicated, there are steps all of us can take to get up off the couch and start moving beyond the career panic attack.

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4 Key Starter Ingredients for Successful Strategy Execution

4 Key Starter Ingredients for Successful Strategy Execution

Even a sound strategy process that effectively characterizes the situation and way forward still faces considerable risk in the form of strategy execution. Ultimately, the ideas are relatively easy. It’s the work of bringing strategy to life that is difficult. Here are 4 key ingredients you require for successful strategy execution.

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First-Time Manager #11—Now, About Those Results…

First-Time Manager #11—Now, About Those Results…

Moving from individual contributor to manager is a challenging career step. One of the more vexing issues first-time managers encounter is learning to drive results through others. Here are at least 7 ideas you can use immediately to promote great results with your group:

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Has Your Organization Fallen Victim to the Zombie Apocalypse?

Has Your Organization Fallen Victim to the Zombie Apocalypse?

In too many organizations, the absence of a galvanizing vision, meaningful, livable values, and a planning process that engages employees from top to bottom result in a form of zombie apocalypse. Instead of purpose, focus, and continuous improvement, people wander aimlessly searching for professional sustenance. If the leaders at the top won’t fix this, you need to spark the revolution from the middle.

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This Sunday Morning Our Thoughts are Elsewhere

As I sat down to write my first leadership post of the week, I found myself staring out the window at my dry, midwestern lawn, and for just a moment, I wished for rain. And then the ridiculousness of that wish clubbed me over the head, given what's happening in...

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