Giving and Receiving Feedback: The Skill Most Leaders Underdevelop
Giving and receiving feedback is the leadership skill nearly every manager says matters and almost no one practices consistently. Here’s why the gap exists, the framework that closes it, and how to build both halves of the muscle, not just the half you’re already good at. I once coached a CFO who could deliver hard […]
Leading Through Change: How to Guide Your Team When Everything Shifts
Change is not the hard part. People handle change all the time. New jobs, new cities, new circumstances. They figure it out. What’s actually hard is being the person responsible for guiding others through it, while you’re also figuring it out yourself. That’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough. Leading through change asks […]
How to Delegate Effectively as a Leader (Without Losing Control)
The gist How to delegate without losing control isn't about giving up the work — it's about giving up your need to do it the only way you know how. Here are the five questions every leader should ask before handing off, and the trust shift that makes delegation actually stick. You became a leader […]
The Feedback Leaders Never Get (And Why That’s a Problem)
The gist Upward feedback is the honest signal most leaders never hear — not because their teams don't have opinions, but because the cost of speaking up feels higher than the cost of staying quiet. Here's why your team isn't telling you the truth, and how to make it safe enough that they do. My […]
Practicing What You Preach Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds
The gist Leading by example sounds simple until the moment it costs you. Here's how the best leaders stay consistent when the easy choice runs counter to what they preach — and what to do when you catch yourself drifting. I tell my coaching clients the same thing all the time: turn off your phone […]
Managers Make the Difference
Leadership conversations keep circling the same territory: strategy, vision, the bold declaration from the top about where the organization is headed. The data point somewhere else. It’s not the executive suite that determines whether a strategy succeeds. It’s the layer of management closest to the work: the people translating direction into daily decisions, having the […]
Managing “Difficult” Employees? Start Here.
The gist Managing difficult employees rarely starts with the employee. The leaders who handle these situations best ask themselves three questions first — about clarity, consistency, and curiosity — before they ever walk into the conversation. Here's how to start there. Before you label someone as the problem, pause. That label is easy to apply […]
Your Team Needs More Than Accountability. They Need Recognition.
The gist Employee recognition is the half of accountability most managers forget. Teams given accountability alone burn out; teams given recognition alone drift. Here's how to lead with both at the same time. I had a meeting with a client recently, several months into a broader project alongside my coaching work. I opened with a […]
Every Interaction Matters. Are You Showing Up the Way You Think You Are?
The gist Leadership presence isn't about charisma — it's about consistency in every interaction. Most leaders think they show up better than they do. Here's how to close the gap between how you intend to lead and how your team actually experiences you. Leadership challenges don’t come with a manual. The pressure to deliver results […]
Are You Avoiding Real Risk, or Just Discomfort?
The gist Leadership and risk taking get conflated with discomfort, but they're not the same thing. Real risk has consequences worth weighing; discomfort is just a feeling. Here's how to tell which one you're actually avoiding — and what to do about it. I almost switched my cell phone carrier this week. After more than […]