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
Reaching for the executive ranks? Cultivate these five skillsets—part one, developing as a strategist
Striving to Level Up? Focus on "The Big Five" While today's career world for many is about something other than "The Climb," my coaching ranks and workshop programs are filled with individuals striving to scale their impact and, for many, gain a seat at the executive...
Reaching for the executive ranks? Cultivate these five skillsets—part one, developing as a strategist
While today’s career world for many is about something other than “The Climb,” my coaching ranks and workshop programs are filled with individuals striving to scale their impact and, for many, gain a seat at the executive table. If you are motivated to grow your responsibilities and engage at a senior management level, you must cultivate your knowledge and skills in five critical areas. In part one of this series, I focus on developing as a strategist.
How to Deal with an Employee Who Is Making You Ill
Almost every manager can relate to having to navigate a toxic employee situation. If managed improperly (or ignored), it can actually make you ill. This article offers some guidance on dealing fairly and firmly with this situation.
Two New Mentoring Programs for First-Time Managers
The transition from contributor to manager is awkward, clumsy, and filled with potential pitfalls. My two new First-Time Manager mentoring programs are designed to help ease the transition and increase the odds of success.
First-Time Manager #5—Asking Versus Telling
It’s easy to fall into the trap of telling versus asking. Telling is fast and ensure that the work gets done to your standards. It’s also the height of laziness and a profoundly powerful way to show your lack of respect for your team members. Try asking instead of telling. You will be surprised with the results.
Leadership Caffeine™—Reality Check
Enjoy those days when all seems to be good in the universe. Just watch out for that reality check about to blindside you!
Can Leadership Be Reduced to an Algorithm?
As machine learning and brain science advance with remarkable speed, it’s not implausible to imagine leadership behaviors reduced to a component of a master algorithm. Thankfully, there are some distinctly human attributes that may be difficult to capture in this format. Use them as if your survival as a leader depended on it.
First-Time Manager #4—Navigating the Drama Storm
It’s too easy to let the personal problems of our coworkers or employees become our problems. Beware the emerging drama storm as a new manager, and take steps to keep the discussion focused on the business of business.
Leadership Caffeine™—4 Keys to Building Your Great Team
The general guidance on building effective teams is right, it’s just often not specific enough. Here are 4 keys to building your great team that don’t get enough consideration in most workplaces:
Uncover Your Backstory to Supercharge Your Professional Purpose
It turns out, a good part of success is tuning in to our true purpose and mission. It’s a lofty or squishy sounding topic that is made tangible if we spend some time uncovering our unique backstories. The events that have shaped us as humans give life and purpose to us as professionals.
Focus on First-Time Managers #3—Overcoming the Discomfort of Delivering Feedback
Cultivating the skills and confidence to navigate constructive (negative) and positive feedback discussions is a game changer for any manager. Unfortunately, most first-time managers have received little to no training for this important performance tool. The good news is that armed with an understanding of the building blocks of effective feedback discussions and ample practice, you can learn to master this important management skill.