No leader or organization is perfect. But when a team member is known for chronically complaining, they can get labeled as a "headache." Here are six steps to move from being a headache to becoming a hero that adds value.
Read more7 Things to Do If You Work with a Fool
There is a difference between a foolish action and a foolish pattern of behavior. Here are the warning signs that you are working with a fool and what you can do about it.
Read moreThe Scandal of Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Is the Most Ignored & How to Protect Yourself
An extreme case of pride in a leader is not usually considered scandalous – only if it involves sex, drugs, embezzlement, or some other secret. But consider this alternative view from C.S. Lewis: “... the utmost evil, is Pride." Here are four ways to recognize pride in our lives and what we can do about it.
Read more7 Leadership Lessons from The Titanic
The Titanic, the largest and most luxurious passenger ship of its time, is a reminder that even the most impressive organizations can fail very quickly. Here are 7 lessons every leader can learn from the tragedy of the Titanic.
Read more5 Defining Choices that Make or Break a Leader
Every decision we make as leaders defines who we are. So, if you want to be a leader who has a positive influence and substantive impact, here are five decisions that can make you or break you.
Read moreTrip and Fall: 6 Common Reactions When a Leader Makes a Mistake
On a recent walk, I tripped and fell. And not just a little stumble! I realized that my reactions immediately after were very similar to the reactions of a leader who has a behavioral, verbal, or emotional trip and fall. Do any of these reactions feel familiar to you?
Read moreHorrible Bosses: 8 Lessons I Learned from Some of the Worst Bosses
I have worked for some exceptional people in my life, and I have also worked for some that were not. But even from the worst of them, I learned what never to do and what to do more of. Here are 8 lessons I learned from some of the worst bosses.
Read more12 Signs the Wheels Are Falling Off Your Organization
Recently, the front left tire fell off my daughter’s car and flew across four lanes of traffic! Slowly, with a little corrosion, the tire just worked its way off! That same thing can happen to organizations. Here are 12 warning signs that the wheels may be falling off your organization, and what you can do to prevent it.
Read more7 Deadly “Sins” Leaders Like to Ignore
As leaders, we all have shortcomings. And when we ignore them, it only compounds the damage. Here are the seven deadly “sins” leaders prefer to ignore the most.
Read more3 Dysfunctional Thoughts That Are Signs It Will Not End Well with Your Employer
All it takes is one dysfunctional thought to create an unhealthy relationship between leaders and the organizations they serve. Here are 3 dysfunctional thoughts we have seen show up in a variety of contexts, leading to poor outcomes every time. Are any of these present in your thinking?
Read moreLeadership Fraud: How to Know When Someone Is a Fake
Many people claim to be someone they are not by faking or inflating who they really are. And this includes plenty of leaders, managers, and even pastors. Here are six signs that someone is a fraud.
Read moreLeadership Mistake: 4 Mistakes Leaders Make [VIDEO]
Our mistakes actually teach people more about leadership than the successes we've had. Watch this video to learn four mistakes leaders make, that I made, and what we can learn from them.
Read moreI Am Usually Right & You Are Always Wrong
How is it that people can see topics like work performance, relationships, justice, and the world so differently? And it is very common to see through the lens of “I am usually right, and you are almost always wrong!” Here are the primary reasons for why we see things the way we do and how to better understand others.
Read more5 Reasons Why Leaders Sometimes Harm the Organizations They Love
Have you ever heard of factitious disorder (often referred to as Munchausen Syndrome)? One of the characteristics of this mental illness is when a caregiver makes the person under their care become sick. It is interesting how often we see something similar in our consulting with organizations. Over the years, we have seen multiple examples of a leader of an organization, and sometimes even the founder, making the organization sick while claiming to love it and care deeply about it. But why would a leader harm the organization he/she claims to love? Here are 5 reasons.
Read moreThe Smell of Legitimacy: 10 Things Deceptive Leaders Do to Fake Their Way to Success
“There is nothing new under the sun.” While most deceptive leaders do not become as infamous as Bernie Madoff, they do have some things in common in faking their way to success.
Read moreGossip: 6 Ways to Detect If It Is Malignant or Harmless
The average person gossips for about 52 minutes a day, but surprisingly, only a small fraction is negative in nature. Here are six ways to tell if your conversation is malignant and if it’s time to change the direction of your conversation.
Read more5 Reasons Why Toxic Leaders Get Away With It [And Sometimes Make More Money]
How do nasty leaders and managers get away with being toxic? And sometimes, the worse they behave, the more they earn! Here are 5 reasons why toxic leaders get away with their behavior.
Read more5 Leadership Lessons from a Fool
“Burglar Enters Escape Room, Can’t Escape, Calls 911.” Yes, you read that right. A guy breaks into an escape room (the idea of an escape room is to, you know, ESCAPE!) and can’t find his way out, so he called 911 to recuse him. As leaders, we should always look for lessons in the things we read. Here are some of mine…
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