While many individuals deliberately keep their work personas and their personal personas separate, I checked, and each of us is one person. Yet, the faster you grow comfortable letting them see you as that whole person, the faster they’ll trust you. And yes, trust is the critical foundation for high performance.
The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Are You Investing in a Growth Experience or Entertainment for Your Team Members?
It turns out; it’s not easy to find programs and providers that deliver growth opportunities. There’s a lot of program offering great content and entertaining experiences, but not real growth opportunities. Here are five key questions to ask potential providers before investing:
Leadership Caffeine™—Commit to Helping Your New Managers Succeed from the Start
If you are a manager responsible for promoting and developing a new manager, the hard work begins during selection and continues long after in the form of observing, teaching, and coaching. There are no shortcuts to building the next generation of effective managers.
Leadership Caffeine™—The Five Building Blocks of the Healthy Working Environment
It’s always bothered me that building a healthy working environment isn’t described in most managerial job descriptions. This is the most important work a manager can engage in to strengthen engagement and performance, yet working on the working environment is ignored in the daily rush for results. In this article, I offer ideas and approaches to help managers jump-start this critical work.
Free Mini-Course on How to Set Your New Managers Up for Success
It’s vital to get the transition from contributor to manager right, and frankly, it’s often left to chance—never a good plan. Sadly, there’s still too much sink-or-swim going on when it comes to new manager development. On August 11 at noon central, I’m running my latest mini-class: How to Help Your New Managers Survive & Thrive from the Start.
Leadership Caffeine™—Rethinking Your Team’s Business Reviews and Operating Approach
While I’ve not attended your business review session, I can tell you with confidence born of experience that most of these events are painful time, productivity, and morale killers. And, in this world where COVID has taught us that quarters are like centuries and the world shifts in hours and days, I increasingly find the ubiquitous quarterly business reviews anachronistic. It’s time to change your team’s operating approach.
Leadership Caffeine™—Is There a Leadership Reset Button?
Are there leadership do-overs? The answer is a firm, “It depends.” In this article, I share the circumstances where it is appropriate to hit your Leadership Reset Button and I offer guidance for succeeding with this important work.
Leadership Caffeine™—Focus on Purpose and Principles, Not Tips and Hacks
We’re wired in this era to look for tips, hacks, and cheat codes, particularly for complex challenges. Who doesn’t want a shortcut that delivers the goods? Yet, some challenges don’t lend themselves to shortcuts. Take managing and leading effectively as cases in point.
Gain Vital Skills and Grow Your Success—Summer Professional Development Catalog
Fresh off of leading three outstanding cohorts through a live-online version of my Manager Development Program for New(er) Managers, we are setting up several new mid and late summer opportunities. We would love to help you or your team members level up their skills. Choose your flavor for this summer’s professional development work!
Leadership Caffeine™—Get Better Daily
Developing as a leader doesn’t follow a straight line. It’s different for every individual. Focus on getting better at this job daily. Here are five ideas to help you jump-start this good work.




