“Intentional” is my focus word/concept for 2025 for two reasons. First, being intentional addresses my need to act more deliberately. Second, intentionality aligns directionally with my last four annual words: “recalibrate;” “pause;” “nuance;” and “explicit.” If you...

My reading habits changed this past year, which sent off silent alarms when preparing to write this annual blog. What books can I showcase?!?!?! I asked myself. Generally, this year-end blog features my favorite business books published in the current year. I’ve not...

All humans -- especially leaders -- benefit from clear communication. Message receivers understand faster and more thoroughly while using less cognitive energy. Message senders make stronger connections and also get the correct action done right the first time --...

Psychological safety. Most modern business leaders now consider it a necessary element in the workplace, not just a "nice to have." Yet as the Forbes Coaches Council noted, "Some C-suite leaders hold misconceptions about how to foster an environment where team members...

How are you coping with your own fears, as well as helping your team members and colleagues manage their fears, worries, and anxieties? This isn't just about AI, although AI can quickly trigger feelings of fear as I recently observed while listening to one of the...

Growing up in Tulsa, Okla. my parents, my two younger siblings and I were the neighborhood oddballs. Both of my parents had college degrees. My mother was Jewish. My dad didn’t drive to work; instead, he took the bus and then later rode his bike. We grew our own...

It was my own fault. Whenever I looked in the mirror, the person staring back at me was the one responsible for all my work distractions, occurring multiple times an hour. I never counted the number, but it was a lot, especially with my cell phone nestled next to my...

Whenever you're planning to invest time, energy, and money into leadership development, make sure you choose wisely. Namely, go with vertical development over horizontal development, which helps leaders as well as those they lead. Vertical development helps...

“The hallmark of expertise is no longer how much you know. It's how well you synthesize. "Information scarcity rewarded knowledge acquisition. Information abundance requires pattern recognition. "It's not enough to collect facts. The future belongs to those who...