Have you ever found yourself reaching a good, productive rhythm at work, only to see it slip away again under daily and weekly pressures? Since my concussion two years ago I have struggled to be as productive as I once was.  Sure, I still get a lot of work done – After all, I did write a book while recovering … Read More

What is your organization’s purpose? Sometimes when I ask people what the purpose of their organization is, they struggle to articulate anything meaningfully.  Many will go to their smartphone and try to find some sort of purpose on their website – that may or may not be there. The importance of developing a clear organizational purpose has been written about … Read More

I have never been good at giving the “you’re doing a great job” type of encouragement to my staff.  Don’t get me wrong, I do realize that encouragement is valued, and that to sustain a productive and innovative culture, leaders must give encouragement. When there is a lack of encouragement, employees wonder if they are valued, and may question if … Read More

Most of us are familiar with stories of some of the Great Places to Work – the Googles of the world, with their complimentary food courts, massage and foosball tables.  The hope is that these extra perks will help make them a great place to work.  And as a result, they are more likely to attract and keep talented employees … Read More

Make your leadership more intentional, and you will improve your self-awareness, focus and effectiveness. When I use the term intentional, I am referring to the simple process of slowing down and thinking things through before speaking or acting. This is particularly important when it comes to potentially difficult interactions with others or important decisions. In recent months I have focused … Read More

With the January 2017 release of my new book, The Ordinary Leader: 10 Key Insights for Building and Leading a Thriving Organization, the frequency of my speaking events has increased.  One of the things I really enjoy about speaking at so many varied events is getting to hear many different stories of people’s experiences at work. Most recently, I gave … Read More

I recently gave a keynote on the topic of employee engagement. After my presentation, I was asked the following question, “What strategies do you use to motivate millennials?” I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts and then responded, “I believe all this debate about millennials is overblown. I motivate millennials in the workplace the same way I motivate … Read More

In the various places I have lived or visited frequently, I’ve always had my spots where I go for solitude – the special places I go by myself to sit and reflect. Solitude is important because it is only when we are alone, with the quietness of our inner thoughts, that we can find the space to truly focus. I … Read More

Meetings are frequently mentioned in my conversations with leaders as a source of frustration and a barrier to productivity. Meetings do take time, and sometimes it feels like that time is wasted. However, meetings are essential for sharing information, making decisions, and fostering innovation. We can’t get rid of meetings; they are here to stay. But we can reduce the … Read More

Limiting my number of book recommendations to a list of ten has been an interesting exercise. There are more that I could add to the list, but these are the ones that have inspired me most to think differently and grow as a leader. I have read these books over the past decade. It’s important to note that my state … Read More