With the relentless demands we face each day at work, many leaders have become obsessed with efficiency. This constant desire to do things quicker and faster, however, often comes at a price. Too many leaders and organizations sacrifice effectiveness to improve efficiency. Unfortunately, this leads to poorer outcomes and satisfaction. When efficiency is increasing while effectiveness is decreasing, an organization is headed for disaster. When leaders take the time [...]

We all want meaningful work.  Work that excites us, that we look forward to, that we find ourselves bragging about to our friends and family.  However, too many still question whether such work exists.  Leaders can play a key role in helping others feel their work is meaningful.  How?  Here are three simple ideas. #1 Provide clarity about someone’s role and how it contributes to the mission and vision [...]

What would happen at your place of work if titles didn’t exist?  Would silos breakdown, innovation increase, teamwork improve, and productivity rise? When titles are emphasized on a team or in an organization, people often respond by shutting down and turning their attention to their own individual goals and results. Whether consciously or not, when titles are a big deal internally at work, people become more likely to behave [...]

All leaders have blind spots.  Blind spots are leadership weaknesses that impede success. Some of these blind spots may be a function of simply “not knowing what you don’t know”.  Others are flaws that aren’t easily recognized by the leader themselves, but are very apparent to others. If leaders all have blind spots, is there a remedy?  How can a person with obvious blind spots still lead successfully? The [...]

If asked, “Do you consider employees to be assets or liabilities?”, most likely 9 out of 10 leaders would respond, “assets!”  Though the answer seems obvious, what do their actions indicate?     Many decisions made by leaders suggest that they view their team members as liabilities rather than assets. Whether it's the possibility of short-term financial gains or the fear of lawsuits, too often the actions of leaders suggest they [...]

Separating someone from their employment is tough. And too little attention is given to how to do it effectively. How a leader handles terminations has a significant impact on culture.  Here are five things managers should do to have the best outcomes possible when letting someone go. #1 Calm down Before engaging in a separation conversation, you must calm down. Don’t go into these discussions upset or angry. Though [...]

What happens at your workplace when results are up, goals are met, and things are going well? On the other hand, what happens when numbers are trending down, problems arise, and outcomes are poor? How a leader reacts during these situations has a significant impact on a company’s culture.   A meaningful way to improve as a leader and elevate your organization’s culture is by properly living the window and [...]

One of the best ways a leader can improve their company’s culture is through their example. Do you live, act, and behave the way you want your people to? If a leader's actions are not regularly in line with the messages they share or the expectations and standards they set, it will negatively impact culture.    Of course leading by example is easier said than done. After all, leaders are [...]

An underrated practice that can strengthen a company’s culture is consistency.  Most companies have experienced a period of incredible uncertainty and change due to the pandemic. However, as business begins to open and things slowly start to stabilize, leaders should increase their focus on establishing consistency at work.    Consistency is vital to culture because it provides stability and increases trust.  It also creates a stronger sense of belonging among [...]

An important leadership skill is helping those you lead know you care about them. Though there are many ways to show you care, one simple and effective way is by getting to know your people.  What interests do your team members have? What is important to each of them? Who do they care most about? What are some of their biggest challenges?  What motivates and inspires them?  Do you [...]

As leaders and organizations, we make a lot of mistakes! Mistakes are a big part of life. Mistakes can hurt results and outcomes, but they also allow us to learn, improve, and grow. Though every company and every leader makes mistakes, some are more detrimental than others.  The important thing as a leader is to minimize big mistakes.      At the heart of long-term success for any organization is its [...]

What is good leadership?  Is it achieving numbers at all costs?  Is it spouting off commands and skillfully manipulating situations so that they always turn in your favor?  Is it demoralizing opponents and proving you have authority and control? There seems to be confusion all around us about what constitutes good leadership.  Good leadership always builds.  It improves practices, develops people, increases connections, grows value, strengthens bonds, enhances reputations, [...]

Celebration at work is a critical component to establishing a healthy company culture. Too often companies fail to celebrate enough. One reason is because leaders believe that to celebrate it must be big, elaborate, and well-planned out. Instead, leaders should focus on making them fun, simple, and memorable.  Leaders who are serious about building a strong culture need to not only consider annual celebrations but also quarterly, monthly, weekly, [...]

When was the last time you celebrated at work? One of the best ways to improve a company’s culture is to celebrate often. Many leaders and organizations don’t celebrate enough.  One reason is because we believe in order to celebrate it must be big, elaborate, and well-planned out.  The truth is, sometimes the simplest and least planned out celebrations have the biggest impact. For example, when my team hit [...]

There are a lot of things a leader can do to sabotage their own effectiveness and success. However, there is one pitfall that is more pervasive and more destructive than any other. If you’re a leader, you’ll want to avoid it at all costs.  The biggest way leaders undermine their effectiveness is through behavioral misalignment.  Behavioral misalignment is saying one thing but then doing another. When there is a disconnect between [...]

Good leadership doesn’t have to be complicated. Though many experts may have you believe otherwise, I’ve learned great leadership comes down to the accumulation of small and simple things done consistently. When leaders discipline themselves to do little meaningful things each day, it has a transformative effect on everyone.  Therefore, at the crux of good leadership is consistency. Sure doing the right things every once in a while is [...]

Sometimes creating the right company culture can feel hard. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. Here are three simple everyday actions leaders can take to improve culture: 1. Talk about your mission, vision, and values Leaders can never talk about their mission, vision, and values enough. Reinforcing, explaining, and sharing the mission, vision, and values in different ways each day will help create clarity and align your team. 2. Catch [...]

What is the importance of company culture? Does it really matter? Here are three critical reasons why culture matters so much. #1 It’s Pervasive Culture permeates an organization. It is impossible to get away from it. Your company’s culture affects every aspect of your business.  It influences every challenge you face, every action you take, and every outcome you achieve. #2 It Attracts and Engages Talent The top predictor [...]

The primary purpose of a job interview is to identify and attract individuals who will help your organization achieve its goals. Thus, developing a strong interview process is a must for leaders.    Here are three tips to help you create a stellar interview process:   #1 Make it Memorable The interview process is one of your greatest opportunities to differentiate yourself from others and show your company is unique. [...]

What is company culture? If you asked 100 executives, you’d probably get 100 different answers. Though there may be some debate about what it is or isn’t, every leader should know three facts about company culture. #1 A basic company culture definition A simple definition is company culture is the shared beliefs, assumptions, and norms of an organization’s team members. In essence, it is the rules people in the [...]

Two of the most important days in your employees' employment life cycle are their first day and their last. While many days will be forgotten, these two will most likely be remembered for years to come. The first day of work is typically filled with anticipation and excitement. It is a day most people look forward to, prepared to discover what your company is truly all about and make [...]

Nowadays we often hear about a “new normal”. If you are looking to embrace a new normal, I encourage you to focus on building an exceptional company culture.  You can embrace this new normal by recognizing and praising your team members more often.  By striving to create more clarity around a shared purpose, vision, and values.  By being more positive and grateful.  Through setting clear goals and consistently measuring [...]

If “why” is the most important word for 2021, then “how” is a close second.  I think most would agree that getting results at all costs is not ok, yet too many leaders still behave in this way.  And consequently, they completely undermine their long-term effectiveness and ultimately their legacy.  Any competent leader can achieve temporary results.  It takes a special leader to create the kind of performance that [...]

What is the best way to increase customer loyalty?   Focus on improving employee loyalty.  Too many organizations waste resources on programs to boost customer loyalty while ignoring their team member experience. With zero long-term improvements, they then wonder, “What happened?”  If your employees aren’t loyal to your company, it is doubtful your customers will be. Your team must be loyal to your company first, before your customers will ever [...]

During my conversations with leaders, a common sentiment is often brought up. Many leaders are concerned about a general lack of motivation among their workforce. Thus, the question becomes, how do we motivate our teams?   One of the simplest ways to motivate your people is through establishing clear goals. I’ve found that once someone knows what they are working toward, they begin to make progress on achieving it.   Goals [...]

It’s the new year and many of us are focused on 2021 goals. As a leader, what is your plan to ensure you achieve them this year?  Here are three things you can do to make sure you reach them.  #1 is to create clarity around your goals.  Too many goals are never reached simply because people don’t know about them or they don’t understand them.  Making sure goals [...]

“Why” is the most important word for 2021. The reason is because now more than ever, people want to contribute to a cause and make a difference. People want a clear purpose for doing what they are doing. They want to be inspired. Establishing a clear “why” is one of the most important steps to accomplishing New Year’s resolutions and other goals.  Without a clearly understood “why”, it is [...]

I love this time of year when so many of us are focused on giving to others. Giving is a wonderful thing. It softens hearts, changes behavior, and strengthens relationships. Giving has a positive impact on both the receiver and the giver. Meaningful giving can even change lives. As a business leader, what do you plan to give to those you lead this year? Will it be a year-end [...]

If you could change one thing about your workplace culture, what would it be?   Sometimes the idea of changing a company’s culture can seem overwhelming. It can feel like you're trying to eat an entire elephant in one bite.  And the larger the organization, the bigger the elephant!  Rather than trying to eat the elephant whole, consider selecting one aspect of your culture you’d like to change or improve [...]

The holiday season is a time of belief. During it, we are invited to believe in a lot of different things. I’d like to add one to the list. As a leader, I’d like to invite you to believe in your team. 2020 has been a challenging year.  Many have lost jobs, health, businesses, confidence, wealth, loved ones, security, and even hope. As a leader, you are in a [...]

If you’re deciding whether to join an organization or not, it’s important to remember that your happiness at work will be influenced heavily by the workplace culture. Though it might be difficult to detect before you begin work, there are several clues you can look for that indicate the strength of a company’s culture. #1 Long-Tenured Employees One strong indicator of company culture is the employee turnover rate. Simply [...]

Grateful leaders are often successful leaders. Here are two thoughts on gratitude for leaders this Thanksgiving week:  1. “Not what we say about our blessing, but how we use them is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”  W.T. Purkiser Many times we claim to be thankful but often our actions demonstrate otherwise. For example, if I’m thankful for my job, I will work hard at it and not spend [...]

Few things are more discouraging than a high-quality employee leaving your company. And too often leaders shrug their shoulders and say it must be because they were offered more money or better benefits elsewhere.  Here are five big reasons why people are likely leaving your organization. #1 A Purpose Wasn’t Clear Too often people aren’t sure what the purpose is behind all of the work. Sure, they get a [...]

Frequently gauging how your employees are feeling about working for your organization through employee surveys is important to cultivating a strong company culture. Once you gather the information though, what do you do to improve results?  Here are three tips to help:   #1 Share the Results This seems obvious, but it doesn’t always happen. Leaders should share the results of the survey in a timely manner with their team. [...]

Creating organizational clarity around the things that matter most is one of the best ways to improve a company’s culture. Clarity eliminates confusion and aligns a team. But how do good leaders go about establishing clarity? The most important practice to create clarity is repetition. Leaders and organizations must be persistent in repeating their most important messages over and over again. They should find different ways and [...]

Teamwork is critical for success in most organizations. However, knowing whether your team is really cohesive or not can be tricky. There are sophisticated ways to gauge team cohesiveness, however there is a simple method that has proven effective for most leaders. This uncomplicated practice is so easy that many of you may laugh out loud. Surprisingly, too many leaders fail to do it. The best place [...]

Three things I love are teamwork, leadership, and basketball. And what I’ve seen out of the Miami Heat this postseason in the NBA bubble has been all three.  Watching the Heat go 10-1 in the NBA playoffs has been extremely impressive and fun to watch.  Now I’ve never been a Heat fan, and how they play over the next week or two could change, but based on [...]

Isn’t company culture all fluff?  This is a question I hear a lot. Thankfully, the answer is a resounding NO.  Creating a high-performing company culture can be as fluffy or as non-fluffy as you’d like it to be. What makes a company’s culture great however is all substance.  For example, driving home clarity around roles and responsibilities, goals, standards, and results is not fluffy.  Demonstrating the discipline [...]

If we’ve learned anything over the last six months it’s that every organization is vulnerable to decline. With the uncertainty that surrounds us, how do leaders protect their companies from a precipitous fall?    The best way companies can weather the storms that will inevitably come is through building a strong company culture. And in most circumstances, this is the only way.     Culture works because it influences every [...]

The number one way leaders undermine their leadership and lose the trust and respect of their team is through behavioral misalignment.  Behavioral misalignment happens when leaders say one thing but do another.  For example, if a CEO professes the company’s top core value is service, yet he is constantly looking for ways to cut corners on service to increase profitability, then his actions are not aligned with [...]

Type A personalities are typically defined as competitive, driven, and achievement oriented. Often, they are superb leaders in the workplace who know how to perform well and get results. However, sometimes managing Type A’s effectively can be tricky, especially when more than one is on your team. How does a leader bring Type A’s together and help them achieve collective results?  Here are four effective ways.   #1 [...]

The best place to start in building a strong company culture is to clearly articulate your mission (purpose) and vision of your company.  Some leaders and organizations have done this but then don’t see much of an impact. Here are the three top reasons why.  #1 Not Simple Enough The number one reason why a mission and vision aren’t having the influence and impact leaders and company’s [...]

How do you earn the respect of those you lead? Here are three simple tips. #1 Be Vulnerable One of the best ways to earn the respect of those you lead is by being vulnerable. Being vulnerable is a willingness to say “I’m sorry”, “I messed up”, “I don’t know”, or “I need help” when appropriate. It’s being willing to be human, transparent and honest. Leaders who [...]

Time for a pandemic update, how’s it going? One thing I’ve observed during the pandemic is how some of my friends are using their extra time to get physically fit. They are working hard to get into the best shape of their life and they look amazing! When it comes to your effectiveness as a leader, have you made improvements? Have you gotten into the best “leadership [...]

Too often we assume complex problems require complex solutions. However, the best solutions for big and complicated problems are often small and simple. Unfortunately, small and simple answers are frequently rejected. One reason is because of a sophistication bias many of us hold. We believe something simple and easy could never solve something complicated and big. When we refuse a simple solution, we make a big mistake.  [...]

Which of the two are more important to your success as a leader and organization: Competition or Compassion?  On the one hand, without a strong desire to compete to be the best, results are often never what they ought to be or could be. This ultimately limits the impact the organization has in the marketplace and on the world. On the other hand, without compassion, bridges can [...]

What does every company need to build a strong culture?  A deeply shared sense of purpose and a broadly shared dream. Why are these two items so important?   A clear purpose and dream unite a team and provide motivation. They also improve decision making throughout the organization and help people understand they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.  With a clear purpose and dream, self-interests melt [...]

In organizations, team members can be placed into three groups. The first is the naysayers or those who are skeptical and cynical about everything in the organization. No matter what is done, they will always be unhappy.     The second group is the undecideds. These are people who are not sure which of the other two groups they should join.  The final group is the supporters or those [...]

How often are you sharing your mission, vision and values?  Once or twice a year? Perhaps quarterly? Maybe once a month?  When asked, most leaders respond that those who work for them know exactly what the mission, vision, and values of their organization are. However when put to the test, most don’t know them.  Why the discrepancy?  Many leaders share something once or twice and then assume [...]

Inclusion is an important topic that has been on the minds of most leaders and organizations. One question I’ve been asked on multiple occasions is, how do I promote a culture of inclusion? This is a great question. Though there are many ways to promote it in an organization, below are a few ideas that can help. #1 Make Purpose Your Number One When leaders ensure the [...]

Few would argue that we are living in turbulent times. If there is anything I’ve been reminded of over the last 3 months, it is the importance of relationship-based leadership. Relationship-based leadership is characterized by a proactive approach to building relationships of trust with those you lead. It involves taking a genuine interest as well as involvement in the development and well-being of team members.   When things [...]

When things slow down around the office, sometimes interesting conversations start-up. One recent discussion revolved around leadership traits. The question posed was, if leaders could only have two attributes, what would they need to be in order to have the most success. While there are a lot of admirable traits that could make the list, here are the two I’d want every time.  #1 Humility Being humble [...]

Based on all that has transpired in our country over the last week, here are a few simple thoughts on how each of us can help heal our world and become better leaders and better people.   #1 Admit When We Are Wrong We all make mistakes, however learning to admit when we do is not always easy. When we are willing to say we messed up, it [...]

How do you get those you lead to support a decision that has been made? Explain 'the why' behind it. Leaders make many decisions each day and their ability to get buy-in on those decisions is critical. When people understand 'the why', it gives them knowledge and helps them feel included. Additionally, most of us do not like to work in the dark. Instead we want to [...]

“I love it where I work!” How many of your team members would say this about your organization? The answer to this question is becoming more important than many realize. The coronavirus pandemic has done a lot to change our views on work and the world. One that is gaining traction is fewer and fewer people seem to be willing to work for a company that doesn’t [...]

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, public tension around differing opinions on how to proceed are escalating. This is causing division at a time when unity should prevail. Why does this happen?  Though on a smaller scale, discord and infighting persist in many organizations across the world. Though employees are working toward common goals, differing opinions often fester and tear teams apart. This divisiveness leads to many unfortunate [...]

I wish I could do more! Have you had this thought during the coronavirus pandemic?   Over the last few weeks, I have had more than one leader express this sentiment to me. One even went as far as suggesting he probably made a mistake in his choice of profession, feeling he should have been a doctor or a nurse instead.  While these thoughts are noble, it's important [...]

Communication has always been extremely important for effective leadership, however its significance has amped up even more during the coronavirus pandemic and virtual meetings. One vitally important communication practice leaders should use is cascade messaging. Cascade messaging is making sure messages from a meeting cascade or flow down to the many different layers in an organization in a timely, clear, and concise way.  During COVID-19, nailing this [...]

Though it appears we still have a ways to go with the coronavirus pandemic, it might be wise to begin to contemplate what a new normal will look like post COVID-19.  Will you and your team go back to doing things the way you’ve always done them? Or can you take some things that you’ve learned or changed about how you operate and lead to help you [...]

It’s time to start a rally cry. It’s time to decide what you and your team must focus on to help you survive and thrive through this unprecedented pandemic.  A rally cry is a simple unifying message that clearly defines what’s needed most right now. It is a call to action. It narrows focus and trumps everything else that has to be done. It aligns a team [...]

It’s been a few weeks since our world got turned upside down with the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that leaders and teams are settling into what feels like our new normal, at least for a little while, here are four reminders to help you successfully navigate these uncertain times.  #1 Show Who You Really Are This pandemic presents an opportunity for leaders to show who they really are [...]

For most of us, these are challenging times. During difficult days it’s important to remember they won’t last forever and things will get better. Tough times never last, but tough people do.  But what if you're not feeling tough enough right now? Here are two simple thoughts of encouragement:  #1 You are stronger and more resilient than you realize. Consider what you’ve been able to overcome in [...]

Recent world events have turned our normal ways of doing business on its head. With so much uncertainty and chaos, what are leaders to do? As bad as things seem to be right now, these types of situations present an opportunity for leaders and companies to shine. Taking the right steps and focusing on the right things is critical. To effectively navigate these turbulent times, leaders should [...]

Establishing a healthy company culture is remarkably simple, but it isn’t always easy. It takes conscious daily effort, good strategies, and hard work. However, organizations dealing with problems arising from poor cultures isn’t easy either.   For example, creating the level of clarity needed within your organization to build a strong culture requires relentless repetition. Yet not doing it leads to an organization full of confusion and ambiguity, [...]

A mission statement is an essential building block to developing a strong organizational culture. When a mission statement is well written, it can inspire a team and provide a unifying purpose.  Unfortunately, too many mission statements are poorly written and do little to help their organization. Below are three essential elements needed to create a mission statement that will have a big impact on your organization. #1 [...]

What is the best way to improve your customer experience within your organization? This is an often-debated question in many board rooms throughout the world. So, is there a good answer or perhaps a best practice that leaders can turn to? Unfortunately, many supposed surefire solutions out there don’t seem to have the lasting impact leaders and organizations are hoping for and need. The reason is because [...]

“Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Dale Carnegie One simple way to build culture and rapport as a leader is to know the names of your people. Though it may seem insignificant to you, it often means the world to people who view you as an important leader within your organization. How many names do [...]

An easy guide to accomplishing New Year’s resolutions in 2020.  First, start with clarity. Make sure your goals are clear and you know exactly what you want to achieve this year as well as why. To that end, having a clear “why”, more than anything else will help motivate you throughout the year. Second, establish consistency. Above all, be consistent in tracking your progress toward achieving your [...]

I love this time of year when so many people are focused on giving to others. Giving is a wonderful thing. It softens hearts, changes behavior, and strengthens relationships. Giving has a positive impact on both the receiver and the giver. Meaningful giving can even change lives. As a business leader, what do you plan to give those you lead this year? Will it be a nice [...]

How do you measure the effectiveness and health of your company’s culture?  Some companies I’ve worked with believe they have a great culture because people are generally nice to each other and everyone seems to get along . Others believe they have an amazing culture because they offer a lot of benefits and perks they think their employees love. And yet others believe that because employee turnover [...]

Simon Sinek provided great insight when he said, “Give people a reason to come to work, not just a place to go to work.”  So what is the difference and why does it matter? Most companies provide only a place to go to work, so that is exactly what their employees do. They go to work, do what they must do to get by, and look forward [...]

One simple way to improve organizational culture and leadership effectiveness is through gratitude. An expression of gratitude does two powerful things: First, it helps the recipient feel appreciated, recognized, and valued. When someone feels this way, it makes it easier for them to work hard and it increases their desire to do good work.  Second, gratitude softens the heart of the giver and endears them to the [...]

Today my thought is simple. Keep score! Too many people work in the dark. They don’t know if their team is doing a good job or not. They don’t know if their team is winning. And this can lead to unproductive stress and anxiety, and even apathy and lethargy. The best leaders I know and the organizations with the strongest cultures don’t allow for ambiguity around results [...]

I love Mondays—and most days of the week—but Mondays are my favorite!  The reason? I choose to love Mondays!  Unfortunately, too many people I know despise Mondays. They associate Mondays with more work, sweat, grind, and a lack of freedom. They say Mondays rob them of their fun and relaxation.  I say Mondays are energizing, full of potential, and an opportunity to do great things. To me, [...]

What are your expectations for those you lead? Is the potential you see in them made clear? Too many people feel unsure of what their leader expects of them at work. And too many leaders feel frustrated by the lack of progress being made by their team. Could there be a correlation?  People normally don’t lack capacity or potential to do good work. What they do lack [...]

Does it feel like your team may be lacking motivation?This is a common concern I hear from leaders—that they can’t seem to get their team motivated.So what is a leader to do?Recently an executive I was working with set a goal for his team to achieve a special designation that exemplified excellence in their industry. He knew it would require hard work from his entire team to achieve [...]

A good boss is the one who allows people to bring their dreams to work. A great boss is the one who actively encourages them to do so. Let me explain.   Imagine you have a great idea. One you are certain will have a big impact on your organization and team. You’ve spent time envisioning how to accomplish it and how things will look once you do. [...]

Today I’d like to invite you to join me in a cause.  The cause is to obliterate job misery from the workplace. Job misery is the dissatisfaction people feel at work. It’s the leading cause of the Monday morning blues.  Too often people go to work feeling uninspired, unfulfilled, and indifferent.  It doesn’t have to be this way. Job misery is an epidemic that plagues our world. [...]

Finding balance as is an ongoing battle most leaders struggle with constantly. It is also a question I am asked frequently from far too many leaders who are feeling burned out or overwhelmed. Though there are no easy answers to this leadership challenge, here are three simple suggestions that have helped me find balance in my career. #1 Start Unbalanced Every new leader or executive needs to [...]

Throughout my career I’ve often asked myself, why do so many leaders fail? Most leaders I’ve met start off with high hopes and most have very good intentions. Many are well educated, experienced, talented, and eager to do a good job. Most step into a leadership position believing they will be successful, and most companies who offer them the job do not secretly believe they will fail. [...]

Has there ever been a time when your team or organization was underperforming? When results just weren’t up to your expectations and progress was a struggle? I’ve been there before and have felt the frustration that comes from trying to find solutions for improvement.     In moments like these I’ve tried a lot of different tactics to jumpstart performance. I’ve introduced new programs, implemented changes to current practices, [...]

Meetings are one of the most basic functions of any organization, yet they often aren’t given the attention they deserve. Meetings play a pivotal role in the shaping and strengthening of a workplace culture. Sadly, most people disdain meetings and it’s hard to blame them. Meetings are often poorly run and poorly structured—thus participants leave feeling like they’ve wasted their time. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are three simple suggestions to help you [...]

A great strategy to improve the results within your organization is to take great care of your team. Many studies have proven that leaders who are able to establish a culture where employees feel valued, recognized, and cared about perform better than those who don’t. But how do you do it? How can a leader take better care of their people when they are so busy and have so much already on their plates? Below [...]

Providing clarity should be at the very top of the priority list for any leader. Why? Clarity brings certainty and reassurance to a team. It removes confusion, roadblocks, and misalignment. It contributes to camaraderie, trust, and understanding. It builds confidence, loyalty, and respect. It provides direction. The importance of establishing clarity to effective leadership cannot be overstated.     Great leaders start by clarifying three important things.     Purpose  First, they provide clarity around the purpose of work. If people don’t know why they do what they do, work will not be as fulfilling [...]

I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with many amazing leaders throughout my career and I’ve learned there is one significant challenge that every leader faces. I like to call this universal struggle the ultimate leadership challenge.  What is the ultimate leadership challenge? It is the challenge of overcoming self. To move from being self-focused to others focused. To put our own personal interests and desires aside in order to benefit others. Only a few are able to [...]

Does your team understand what winning looks like for your organization? Is it super clear what results must be achieved in order to claim victory? Ensuring team members know what winning looks like is a great way to help establish a strong culture that gets results.   Can you imagine a basketball game without a scoreboard? Where the players, coaches, and spectators have no idea who is winning? Or how about an Olympic running event without a defined finish line or even a stopwatch keeping time? Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it. Would anyone have any interest in such an event?     [...]

I agree with Simon Sinek that leaders eat last, but I also believe they eat with their team. Let me explain.   One of the best ways to establish a great culture within your company is to create what I call charity within your organization. Charity is showing true care and concern for the people you lead. It’s viewing people as people and not as a number [...]

At times when I speak to leaders about investing resources, time, and effort into creating a great culture, I often get a common response. It most often comes in a look on their face that says are you serious Tim? What’s in it for me?  This is an understandable and perfectly appropriate response. Afterall, leaders are tasked with the important responsibility to protect the organization’s limited assets and their time is valuable.   So what is in it [...]

As a CEO of a health care facility, there were only two types of employees I wanted working for my organization. One type was the frontline employee who took great care of my patients, families, and visitors. The other type was those who took great care of the frontline employees. That’s it! Those were the only types of employees I wanted.  In my health care facility we believed as [...]

Gallup recently released their findings from their largest global study on work, and the results are not all that surprising. In their study they discovered that the quality of a company’s managers and leaders is the most critical element to long-term company success. I didn’t need a Gallup study to know this was the most critical, but it’s good to see their research confirms what most of us already knew.    Last [...]

I heard on a podcast recently that the founder of Chick-fila, S. Truett Cathy, once asked a friend, “who needs encouragement?” and then after a moment responded, “every human being that is breathing.” At times as leaders we are trained to look for the bad and correct it. What if instead we trained ourselves to look for the good and praise it? How do you think this [...]

Having worked in health care most of my career, I’ve relied heavily on a good group of volunteers to help in the different facilities and hospitals I’ve worked. Volunteers are the best! I’ve noticed that as leaders, we are quick to forgive a volunteer’s mistakes, thank them for their time, and are gracious for any efforts they make to help our company. We also tend to trust [...]

The most important responsibility a leader has is to provide clarity for their team. That’s right, most important. The reason is because there is nothing that will negatively impact the productivity, engagement, and satisfaction among your team members more than confusion. Confusion at work causes a lot of problems including anxiety, contention, apathy, frustration, and stress. Clarity needs to come from the top. If the top is not [...]

The number one leading cause of death for leaders is distractions. Distractions have killed more leaders than anything else I know.     Now let me clarify for a minute. When I say death, I mean being removed as a leader whether it is losing a job or being asked to step down.   Why are distractions the leading killer for leaders? I believe there are two main reasons.   One is because they are so enticing. They often appear as fires that need immediate attention. They beckon for our help [...]

Let’s talk today about why culture matters—why it works at transforming and positively impacting all results within an organization. So why does it work? The answer is simple really. A company with a strong workplace culture taps in to the emotional and intellectual energy of every employee.  When a workplace culture is weak or unhealthy, people often do just enough to get by. They never emotionally or [...]

Are you a leader that is struggling to love your job? Do you feel like you’ve lost a sense of purpose or do you wonder if you are making a difference? Are you frustrated with your team’s performance and results?   If so, I get you. I’ve been there before. It’s not uncommon to feel frustrated, lost, discouraged, or even apathetic at times. Leading others can be hard!     So what is [...]

Today let’s talk trust. One of the best ways to improve trust in the workplace is by doing what you say you are going to do. That’s it! Sure, sounds easy but it can be hard.   Do any of these scenarios sound familiar….   Scenario #1 Employee: Can we talk?   Leader: Sure, I’ll get back to you within an hour. (gets tied up and forgets to get back)   Scenario #2 Employee: I [...]

I recently read a quote that made me smile. It said, “Everything I learned about parenting is leadership and everything I learned about leadership is wrong.” – Bob Chapman  It made me smile because in so many ways it’s true!   Though I won’t debate the merits between taking a leadership course or a parenting class to become a stronger leader, let me share five things I’ve been taught about being a [...]

Does it feel like your team or organization is under performing? Do you think you could and should be doing better?  If so, you are not unlike most leaders and organizations out there. Unfortunately, many aren’t sure what to do or how they can move forward to help their teams reach their potential. Today I have two suggestions to start helping your team or organization truly reach their potential.   #1 Improve Clarity  Often [...]

Have you ever questioned if you have what it takes to accomplish your goals?   Have you ever felt like giving up?  Leadership can be hard. It can often feel like you aren’t making progress or that you will never achieve your desired outcomes.   When this happens, what should you do?  First, have patience. Things are rarely as bad as you believe.  It just feels that way in the [...]

Every great company is lead and guided by a vision. A vision is what the organization eventually hopes to accomplish or the contribution it hopes to make in this world. Much like a mission statement and core values, a vision should be well articulated and referred to often. It should be easy to understand and be clear.   A vision can be viewed as being unrealistic by others. It is a long-term goal. When leaders are [...]

If Santa is good to you this year he will provide a little bit of discomfort in your life. Why discomfort you might ask? There are a couple of reasons. Let me explain. First, discomfort is an indicator that we are growing or that we need to grow. We can’t get better or improve our circumstances in comfort. In fact we must step out of our comfort [...]

Have you ever felt like you were stuck? Like you just weren’t making the progress you hoped to make and that you felt you should be making? That happened to me over the last couple of weeks. You see, I’ve been trying to complete a book project and just felt it wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t sure how to improve it or make it better. I felt [...]

"You are never too important to be kind." I recently read this on a sign somewhere and felt it was very applicable to us as leaders. It’s easy to get caught up in all that is going on. With important decisions to make, deadlines to meet, issues to address, meetings to attend—things are just busy and stressful! Because of all this, it can be hard to [...]

It’s the week of Halloween so it only seems fitting to talk about fear. But let’s not talk about the fun fear we experience during this time of year that gets our hearts pumping and our adrenaline flowing. What I want to focus on is the more common and often times debilitating negative fear. So let me ask you, have you ever been afraid? We all have [...]

Have you ever wanted to be a superhero? Yeah me too. It never happened for me though. At least not in the way I thought it would…. Maybe you are like me. Let me try and explain. At times when I talk to leaders about their careers many express or even lament the fact that they aren’t in a more service-oriented occupation. A doctor, firefighter, civil or [...]

Culture is the number one way to improve performance within any organization. Many leaders I talk to believe they can’t do much to change the culture of their organization because they are only a department head, supervisor, or only lead a small team within a larger organization. I’m here to tell you that’s not true. If lead people, than you can have a dramatic impact on culture. Let me [...]