LEADERSHIP BLOG

We often talk about the skills leaders need in conversations with their people. Another equally important conversation is when people need to talk with their leaders. These conversations can be quite intimidating. 

Have you ever avoided conversations about getting involved in a project,...

Sometimes we get caught up in “shoulds” and the most dangerous ones are the “shoulds” that tell us who we should be. They go to the core of who we are and suggest that we should be something different or more than what we are. The steady hum of these thoughts can become a...

We are busy and sometimes we forget to slow down so we can be intentional about the conversations that matter. When we do have a moment to prepare for that meeting or that interaction we are about to have, we will often focus on the “how to” … how to set the agenda, how to ask...

I was listening to my colleague’s story. She had just finished a tough round of cancer treatment and didn’t have the support at home that she needed. She had gone on a trip to clear her mind, but it didn’t go as planned. She felt disappointed and alone. Now she was planning...

When I have a task in front of me that’s not my sweet spot or it’s going to be hard, I avoid it. Not with procrastination but with being busy. In college, my house was never cleaner than the week that I had to write that final paper. The entire afternoon was set aside for a project...

When the heat turns up in our conversations the tendency is to dig in our heels and expect others to adapt to our needs. It can be difficult to modify our natural preferences and engage in dialogue that brings out the best in ourselves and others, especially when we feel “time is of the...

The ditch that runs alongside every road to great things is neglecting your “ask.” We tend not to ask for help when we need to. Why? We assume our competence depends on us alone. We don’t want to impose on others. We accept the message that we “should” be able to do...

Being in leadership usually means you have to get strategic about your mission. But what if you don’t think you were “built” for strategy? It’s possible that you even avoid it and just focus on the day-to-day of what needs to be done right here, right now.

What if I told...