Unlock Your Team’s Best Thinking

Have you ever watched a team member do something clever, solve a problem, or creatively improve a process, then ask them why they hadn’t shared it with the team? Too often, your team’s best thinking remains hidden. Their answer to why they didn’t speak up holds the key to unlocking your team’s best ideas and […]

Six Reasons Even the Best Project Managers Fail

The project is mission critical, and complicated with lots of moving parts across departments. You’ve assigned your rock star, PMI certified project manager to shepherd the process and the project is way behind schedule. She’s frustrated, you’re one missed deadline away from frantic, and your boss wants to know what she can do to help. What next? Six […]

How to Help Your HR Team Be More Strategic

When I started my first HR job at 26, my boss handed me a stack of books and two pieces of advice. (1) Always read what the client is reading and (2) learn to “talk trucks” (meaning, “learn the business, kid.”) Straight out of grad school and fired up about all I thought I knew, […]

Want a Tighter-Knit Team? Look to the Family For Inspiration

  Believe it or not, we’re actually now spending more time with coworkers than family; this is true of almost 80% of people who work thirty to fifty hours a week. So it’s probably not surprising that research indicates we’re increasingly viewing our coworkers as direct extensions of our family. Group dynamic researchers say the parallel should make intuitive […]

10 Incapacitating Leadership Mistakes You Make When You’re Scared

“This guy opened his door and hit your car!” Sebastian, our 12-year-old, announced as Karin and I returned to the car, our arms full of office supplies. He pointed out a small scratch on the door. We laughed about it and how the guy was surprised to find someone in the car he’d just scratched. […]

One Quick Leadership Tip That Will Save You Weeks of Time

Did They Hear What You Think You Said? Recently a reader wrote me asking a question that plagues team leaders and managers everywhere: “What do you do when your team didn’t hear what you think you said?” Can you empathize? You roll out the new process and ask if there are any questions. You’re met […]