If you’ve been paying any attention at all to this year’s Olympics, you know that Simone Biles, considered the greatest gymnast of all time, withdrew from the all-around and, as of the time I’m writing this, is uncertain for the individual competitions. The public reaction has been predictably … intense. From those condemning her (I’m not going there) to those …
Four tips about mistakes
I have a real fear of making mistakes. I worry about it in relationships, I worried about it as an executive in my corporate life, and I worry about it today as I work to serve my clients. What if I suggest the wrong thing? What if I screw it up? What if, what if, what if… There are a …
How to learn leadership
I posted a question this morning on LinkedIn: “What’s the most successful thing you’ve done to develop your leadership?” The common denominator among all the answers? Choosing to own their leadership skill development. Whether that was accepting a reeeaaally stretchy promotion, taking a volunteer leadership role, or simply deciding to learn leadership skills, it was all about personal ownership and …
Is there really a Great Resignation?
Yes, I think so. People have been arguing with me about this, but the data don’t lie. (Yes, I insist on “data” being plural, thank you.) The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that April and May, 2021, had the highest “quit rate” EVER. As in, never before this high. As in, really, really high. Look, I get the impulse to …
Leadership, chiggers, and COVID (oh my!)
Yes, that headline is a tad weird. Stay with me here. First, “leadership” should be a verb, not a noun, no matter what the dictionaries say. Leadership is an action. It’s something we can choose to do, moment to moment. It’s how we show up in those moments. It’s not complicated, but it can take courage because it often feels vulnerable. And …
The hybrid dilemma
Is the sky falling? Will all your employees quit if you don’t offer a hybrid work solution? Do you absolutely need your people in the office? Are you concerned about productivity if people work from home? What about if they work in the office? Can you trust your employees to do what’s right? There. That last question. That’s the real question. …
Meet your inner leader (yes, you have one)
Oh, the things people say about leadership! Leaders are born, not made. (This is so old and outdated that I can’t find a source – but we’ve all heard it, all too often.) Only one in ten people have the natural skills to be a manager / leader. (That’s from research giant Gallup!) Introverts can’t be leaders. (Susan Cain, author …
Two thirds say they have no idea…
This morning, reading through my various email newsletters, I came across some … I won’t say shocking, because I’m neither surprised nor shocked; I’ll say concerning data in FAST COMPANY magazine’s “Compass” newsletter. They cited a McKinsey survey that indicates that This is a problem. Maybe you haven’t set your strategy yet. Okay, you’re running a tad (!) late on …
Osmosis is for scientists, not leaders
You can’t learn leadership by osmosis. It sure would be great if you could. Promoted from an individual role into management and leadership? Poof, whoosh, hey presto, you’re a leader – you “just know” how to do it. But no. Becoming a good, successful, caring, effective leader requires training practice with what’s learned guidance coaching mentoring all of that and …
Look back before rushing forward (here’s why)
I’m not a fan of the, “Oh, this was a gift! it wasn’t all bad!” noise I’m hearing from so many people right now. The pandemic was not a gift. Yes, it gave some of us a chance to reflect, regroup, reconsider how we want our lives to look and feel. Those were the privileged ones who kept their jobs and …