The Executive’s Guide to Preventing Resistance & Succeeding With Organizational Change
Here are the seven characteristics of a successful executive change leader: 1. Is Self-Aware – In a study of 65 change stories from leaders of 33 organizations, researchers found what differentiated successful leaders from others was their level of self-awareness. Successful leaders considered the impact their practices, communication, and behaviors had on the response of the […]
Want to Attract and Retain Better Talent? Follow This Framework
The world of employer branding is still relatively new, but it’s already inundated with superlatives like “best” and “leading.” Companies use these descriptors in an attempt to grab people’s attention and establish quick connections. The only problem? They rarely hold up. Over the years, I’ve helped numerous organizations untangle fuzzy, ineffective employer brand stories. More […]
If You Love Your Best Performers, Set Them Free
Are your top executives disenchanted, disengaged, and considering leaving your corporation for more challenging opportunities? Encouraging them to head up a spinout gives them a purpose, inspires them to nurture something new, and could potentially help your company make millions. It’s no secret that things move more slowly and methodically in corporations than in startups. […]
Leaders: Protecting Abusers – Not Victims – Is a Costly Mistake
Why do far too many leaders cover up for abusers? Why is there so much institutional complicity enabling abuse to continue? What’s going on in the brains of leaders who protect abusers rather than victims? Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics protected predator Dr. Larry Nassar for decades instead of safeguarding his many victims. Notably, the FBI did so, too. The gymnasts’ lawsuit against the […]
How to Handle Founding Staff Once Your Startup Has Grown
Startups usually don’t have a lot—of money, resources, time—really much of anything. Most of the time, the founder has a great idea and a couple of friends or associates to help figure out how to move that idea toward reality. The “team” consists of whomever the founder has nearby: a ragtag bunch that can be […]
What MBA School Doesn’t Teach Business Leaders About Human Nature
To be a successful CEO, Founder or manager, you must prioritize defining your people philosophy and leadership strategies. These key skills, unfortunately, are rarely taught in business school, and must be mastered by anyone managing a team or in a consulting role. Looking back on my MBA program during this graduation season, there were only […]
Get on Top of Yourself: How to Recognize Your Disintegration Patterns
“Get on top of yourself.” A colleague muttered this phrase in the midst of an Enneagram debriefing session (note: if you’re looking for a profiling tool for you or your team, this is categorically the best I’ve come across in 20 years of doing this work). It made me think about the importance of maintaining […]
How to Help Employees and Job-Seekers Thrive Despite a Chaotic Landscape
The way we work is constantly changing. Adapting to the moment. Being reinvented in ways we don’t even recognize in the moment. Having said that, we’ve never seen anything quite like the seismic shifts of the last two years. We’ve witnessed the wild acceleration of trends that were already underway and the emergence of new […]
Lessons Learned on My Journey from Shipping Clerk to CEO
Over the course of twenty-six years, I progressed from an entry-level position at Products Research and Chemical Corporation (PRC) to CEO of the $240 million global company. With no prior experience, no college degree, and no inside connections, I was hired as a shipping clerk at age 19. My goal? To make enough money to […]
Want to Attract and Retain Better Talent? Follow This Framework
Everybody wants to be “the best,” but few can actually define what that looks like in practice. Instead, companies should dig deeper to tell an employer brand story that people can’t wait to be a part of. The world of employer branding is still relatively new, but it’s already inundated with superlatives like “best” and […]
