Should I Stay or Should I Go? What do you do when you disagree with management?
As a leadership speaker and author, I get this type of question a lot. I work in a company with poor management. Employees are…
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A Sense of Belonging
Can you remember a time when you felt like you really belonged? For me, it was the day I became a submariner. During the…
The Difference between a Great Team and an Elite Team
Something happened at my company three weeks ago that confirmed we are moving in the right direction. And it has nothing to do with…
Overcoming Life’s Obstacles with Consistent Persistence
Have you ever been in a situation where you knew you were in trouble? It happened to me on my first day at Nuclear…
The Forgotten Employee is your Greatest Asset
Did you know the most senior sailor on a nuclear submarine will back up the most junior sailor in an emergency? It certainly was…
Radical Transparency
Have you ever sat through an annual performance review and had that awkward feeling? Like your boss was not giving you true feedback? Like…
Spirit of the Squirrel
Did you know that squirrels don’t hibernate in the winter? That’s why they work so hard in the fall. Food is scarce in the…
Driving out Despair
A recent guest on the Deep Leadership podcast, Steven Mays, got me thinking. He said that one of the most important actions a leader must…
The Problem with Career Complacency
In the past three weeks, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend. I have been contacted by a number of people who have been let go…
Using Failure to Fuel Sucess
You’ve probably noticed the same thing as me. There is success all around us and, as a society, we love to celebrate success. Think…
Honoring Those Who Never Came Home
Just West of Cambridge, England on an immaculate slope of deep green grass surrounded by sprawling woodlands lies a powerful reminder of the tragedy…
What Does Success Really Mean to You?
I was a guest on a recent podcast and the host asked me an interesting question: What’s my definition of success? I actually had…
Bosses Who Need the Most Help
I’m going to guess you’re a good boss. How do I know this? You’re reading this post. And, more than likely, you’ve read my book,…
The Silver Lining of a Struggle
I’m not a runner, but I ran six half-marathons once. Growing up in New England, it was always a dream to one day run…
The Perfect Pandemic Pivot
I have given several webinars over the past few weeks on leading during a crisis and one of the topics I like to discuss…
The Power of Passion and Perseverance
As we enter our 5th week in quarantine, I’m reminded of the famous motivational posters produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation…
Leading in Difficult Times
I was talking to a friend the other day and we were reminiscing about a business we worked at that went through a really…
Who’s Your Chief?
When I was just 23 years old, fresh out of submarine school, I was given my first leadership job. I was assigned to lead…
Have you had a “Follow Me” Moment?
You’ve probably heard the expression, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” It could also be put another way, “Don’t just stand there,…
Don’t Let an Arsonist Burn your Company Down
You’ve probably heard this leadership quote before: “If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could…
Why It’s a Bad Idea to Run a Ship Aground
You probably know I was a Naval Officer early in my career. Well, did you know the Navy has a zero-tolerance policy for running a…
The Most Important Thing to do as a New Leader
The lady in seat 2B had my attention. I was flying home from Minnesota on a business trip when she struck up a conversation…
The Power of Personal Connection
I have a pet peeve. I can’t stand seeing managers who stay isolated. It bothers me when I hear about bosses who stay locked…
What Does it Mean to Have your Employee’s Back?
Let me share a short story about a boss who had my back. I had spent thousands of dollars of the company’s money. It…