Blog






Unpacking Learning
In a recent SmartBrief blog post, Memo to the CEO: 5 Myths that are Killing Your Talent Development , my friends Jeannie Coyle and Wendy Axelrod provide insightful observations and analysis about talent development that is important to all leaders today. I found my...

Introverts Rule (Quietly)
For most of my professional life, I’ve admired and envied the extroverted leaders around me. Ahhhh, to demonstrate such confidence, energy, and power. For decades, I believed that at some point - after a lot or professional experience, after having my own business,...
Everything I Needed to Know About Leadership, I Learned… When My Kids Entered Kindergarten
Move over, military. There’s a new leadership development setting in town! For most of the twentieth century, leaders grew up primarily through their military experiences, developing the models, approaches, and skills that would eventually extend to the workplace....

Lean Out
Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a client retreat. After my part of the agenda was complete, I was invited to stay on and enjoy the other speakers. I’ll be honest... I was tempted to hop on the first plane back to the office. But something encouraged...

The One Question to Stop Asking Kids… and Ourselves
Think back to when you were a kid in the presence of adults. I’ll bet I can predict the question you were asked more than any other. What do you want to be when you grow up? From a very early age, I remember the adults around me regularly making this inquiry. For a...

Building the Bench
Just as many organizations begin to feel that they’re stabilizing after a long period of economic uncertainty, they may find themselves facing a new and unexpected challenge: deficient management bench strength. According to the American Management Association’s study...

Closing the Door… on Closure
Poll ten highly successful people and you’ll likely find that nine have a very high need for closure. You know that you’re among them if you: Feel most comfortable when a meeting ends with a good recap and solid next steps. Get an unusual sense of satisfaction out of...

Evaluating Social Media: Metrics that Matter
I know that it’s customary to set goals, evaluate results, or just think and plan in terms of years. But for me, nine months is the magic number. Maybe it’s because with a thoughtful nine-month assessment, there’s still time left to course-correct and deliver annual...

Harness the Power of the Pause
I'm excited to share this guest post by Mark Hopkins to celebrate the launch of his book, Shortcut to Prosperity: 10 Entrepreneurial Habits and a Roadmap For An Exceptional Career. Mark is a gifted writer with powerful and actionable strategies for anyone looking for...