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
Bad Day as a Leader? Smile and Keep Marching
Not every day in your life as a leader is a party complete with cake and ice cream. When you encounter one of those days where everything seems to be working against you, it’s time to force a smile and keep marching.
Four Steps to Harness the Power of Quality Feedback
In every healthy working environment, quality feedback flows in three directions: up, down, and sideways. Here are four steps for managers to take to bring the power of quality feedback to life on their teams.
Thank You to Wally Bock and Three Star Leadership
My good friend and mentor-from-a-distance, Wally Bock, announced yesterday that he will no longer be adding content to his fabulous and long-running Three Star Leadership Blog. Wally is shifting gears to focus on his book writing/coaching practice. In this article, I share my thanks and great regard for someone who has inspired me for years.
FIve Big Ideas to Help Get New Manager Development Right
Managers are the individuals we need to create engagement, deliver quality results, and serve as critical enablers of change and adaptation in our world. And if Gallup. is even half right with their measures of disengagement and their pointing to managers as the cause, we’re failing at manager development. Here are five big ideas to help.
Reaching for the Executive Ranks? Part Two—Cultivating Executive Presence
I’m fascinated by the topic of executive presence and particularly by the feedback many receive that sounds like, “You need to work on strengthening your executive presence.” This feedback typically leaves people stressed and needing clarification. In this article, I strive to demystify executive presence and offer some tips and resources for strengthening yours.
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 create focus in your work (and personal) life to stimulate success
But, creating and maintaining focus is a battle. I often fail until I remind myself yet again of what’s important and then take action to cut out the noise and distractions. Here are some ideas to help you create focus on your path to success:
Leadership Development is Indeed Failing Us—Time for a New Approach
When it came to leadership development investments, as an executive, it grew frustrating to send people to name-brand organizations and have them return with a “nice experience,” a big bill, and no visible strengthened abilities or sustained changes.
The Problem(s) with One-and-Done Training for Manager Development—And Two New Programs that Solve Those Problems
One-and-done type training programs for manager development consistently fall short. A proper professional development experience blends expert instruction, cohort-based learning/sharing, coaching, and time. For time, the issue is months, not weeks. My thoughts and two new programs that deliver the right blended experience.