Blog
What Norm Taught us about Pursuing Perfection
Legendary comedian Norm MacDonald passed away at the age of 61-years-old this week. The former Saturday Night Live star was known for his deadpan delivery
09/18/2021
Blog Posts
If you have been following my writing for a while or just joined in, you probably know that I care deeply about leadership.
To be honest, I started writing about leadership because I was tired of hearing stories about bad bosses. I was tired of seeing studies showing that 70% of employees were unengaged & uninterested at work.
There is a leadership problem in business today that needs to be addressed.
I’ve written dozens of blog posts dealing with everything from micromanagers to customer complaints. Take a look and let me know what you think. I’m always interested in hearing your feedback.
Blog
The Problem with Mandates
There have been more than 15,000 books written on the subject of leadership but, when you boil it down, leadership is about inspiring people to
09/11/2021
Blog
The Biggest Untapped Resource in Your Organization
What if I told you that you could find all the answers to the problems facing your business inside the four walls of your organization?
09/04/2021
Blog
Let Go and Let Others Grow
You’ve probably seen this yourself – a leader with a control problem. Many bosses would rather die than let go of the control they have
08/28/2021
Blog
Can Leadership be Taught? What Most Companies Get Wrong
Have you ever considered the question of whether leadership can be taught? There has always been a lot of debate about whether leaders are born
08/21/2021
Blog
Do You Want to Be a Great Leader? Ditch the Cape
What does it mean to be vulnerable as a leader? At 32 years old, my company promoted me to plant manager even though I had
08/14/2021
Blog
When Stressing Out Employees is a Good Thing
I was nervous but trying not to show it. Once the previous watch officer left, it suddenly hit me. I was in charge of an
08/07/2021
Blog
Eliminating Us and Them using this Simple Technique
One of the biggest things I noticed in the business world after spending years working on a submarine was the physical separation of employee groups.
07/31/2021
Blog
Excellence Attracts Excellence
Last week the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers players and coaches were awarded their Super Bowl LV rings. Shortly after that, Tom Brady took to social
07/26/2021
Bad Bosses
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 frustrated
04/05/2021
Blog
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 pinning
10/01/2020
Blog
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 our
09/18/2020
Blog
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 Power
09/10/2020
Blog
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 a
09/03/2020
Blog
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 they
08/25/2020
Blog
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 colder
08/18/2020
Blog
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 take
08/11/2020
Blog
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 by
08/05/2020
Blog
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 about
07/31/2020
Blog
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 of
05/24/2020
Blog
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 to
05/21/2020
Bad Bosses
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, you
05/13/2020
Blog
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
05/06/2020
Blog
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 is
04/30/2020
Blog
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 for
04/22/2020
Blog
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 rough
04/09/2020
Blog
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 the
03/25/2020
Blog
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, do
03/20/2020
Bad Bosses
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 dominate
03/12/2020
Bad Bosses
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 ship
03/06/2020
Bad Bosses
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 immediately
02/28/2020
Blog
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 up
02/22/2020
Blog
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 was
02/12/2020
Blog
Why Good Employees Go Bad
Let’s talk about employee engagement. According to Gallup, only 34% of U.S. workers are engaged and enthusiastic about their jobs and companies. And, it’s a
02/05/2020
Blog
The Problem With Extremes
You probably know who Jocko Willink is. If you don’t, you might be living under a rock. He’s a highly decorated retired Navy SEAL who
01/28/2020
Bad Bosses
Are you a good leader? Ask yourself these 3 questions
Everyone’s path to leadership is different. My leadership journey started in the military. I entered “management” at just 23 years old when I became the
01/21/2020
Blog
A strange word with an important meaning for leaders
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a “plant rat.” I love manufacturing and everything about it. It’s real. You can touch
01/14/2020
Blog
3 Simple Tips to Make your 2020 New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Have you embarked on a New Year’s Resolution in 2020? You’re not alone. 45% of Americans are likely to make a resolution this year and
01/02/2020
Blog
What happens when we stop expecting people to be perfect?
As you are coming out of your Christmas food-induced coma, I thought I would share an important concept that will help you as you prepare
12/26/2019
Blog
What can a Christmas Movie about an Elf Teach us about Leadership?
Full confession. At one business I led, I used to dress up as Buddy the Elf (Yes. Yellow tights and all!) to deliver candy to
12/17/2019
Blog
Why Your Accountant Might Be Wrong
A reader once posted this comment on my website: “Being an employee of several different companies, I can honestly say that I’ve felt like nothing
12/10/2019
Blog
Why Leaders Hate Black Friday Sales
I have to admit, I hate Black Friday sales and you probably do too. If you read this blog, you’re a leader. You don’t follow
11/29/2019
Blog
Employee Motivation Starts Here
In the movie Criminal, Kevin Costner plays a convict whom the CIA chooses for an experimental procedure. With the help of a top neuroscientist and researcher,
11/21/2019
Bad Bosses
Toxic Work Environments: An Interview with Author Pete Havel
I had a chance to sit down with author and business leader, Pete Havel, to talk about toxic work environments and his new book, The
11/13/2019
Bad Bosses
The Crisis We Face
I’ll be frank. I’m concerned about the state of leadership in corporate America. Every day I hear a new “bad boss” story. One person told
11/06/2019
Bad Bosses
The One Problem in Business We Can’t Seem to Solve
A Powerful Visual On Monday night, two AFC East football rivals played under the lights. The New England Patriots had traveled to take on the
10/22/2019
Blog
7 Keys to Engaging Your Employees
In my last post, I was asked how to grab the leadership bull by the horns when you suddenly find yourself thrust into a new
10/09/2019
Blog
Help! I’m in a new leadership role, what should I do?
A while back I was asked this timely question: Q: Jon, help! I’ve just started a new leadership role and really want to make a
09/25/2019
Blog
I don’t like that guy and I’m not going to work with him
Let me tell you a story. I came up through the Navy (and made seven deployments during the Cold War). Then, I led businesses for
09/17/2019
Bad Bosses
Leaders – It’s Not About You
Leadership is simple. It’s about influencing a group of people to accomplish a goal. The problem is most managers forget about the people, the goal,
09/08/2019
Blog
The Problem with Problems
There is nothing a submariner fears more than a fire. A fire on a submarine is one of the most dangerous things that could ever
08/27/2019
Blog
Why Do You Want to Be a Leader?
There are three questions you should ask before taking any leadership Job. A Leadership Crisis There is a crisis in America. There is a shortage
08/26/2019
Blog
My Interview on the Whistle and a Clipboard Podcast
Today I appeared on the Whistle and a Clipboard Podcast to talk about my latest book, I Have the Watch. During this podcast, I talk about
08/22/2019
Bad Bosses
My Interview on The Leadership Update Brief
Today I appeared on the Leadership Update Brief to talk about my latest book, I Have the Watch. During this podcast, I talk about the origins
07/18/2019
Blog
Interview on the Coach Bru Podcast
Today I appeared on The Coach Bru Podcast to talk about my latest book, I Have the Watch. During this podcast, I talk about
07/15/2019
Blog
Calm Under Pressure
“Losing your head in a crisis is a good way to become the crisis.” C.J. Redwine Dealing with Bad News It wasn’t what I wanted
07/06/2019
Blog
The Mission-Minded Leader
It Starts with the Mission Great leaders are mission-minded. They are also great communicators. They understand the importance of clear, concise, and continuous communications with
06/18/2019
Blog
It’s Good to be Liked but Even Better to be Respected
My first commanding officer in the Navy was a hard ass and it was one of the best learning experiences of my career. Trial by
06/11/2019
Blog
An Interview with Leadership Author and USAF Veteran, Mitchell Boling
I had a chance to sit down with Air Force veteran and author, Mitchell Boling, to talk about his new book, Leadership: A View from
05/14/2019
Blog
The Unexpected Journey of Writing a Book
I wrote a book and it wasn’t anything like what I expected. Igniting a Flame In December 2018, I was listening to a book on
04/24/2019
Blog
Leading Employees Who are Older and More Experienced
Leading employees who are older and more experienced can be a challenge but not if you master the art of engaging employees. A Young Factory
03/28/2019
Blog
The Not-So-Subtle Art of Being Weird: How to Be Successful by Standing Out
Great leaders know the best way to beat their competition is not just to be better, but to be different. They understand that weird often
03/19/2019
Blog
Earn your Oxygen: A Sea Story
Great leaders know a team of qualified employees is hard to beat. They establish a culture of competency where new employees feel positive peer pressure
03/12/2019
Bad Bosses
Great Leaders Look for Opportunities to Show This
Great leaders know that success is the result of extra efforts by amazing employees. These leaders look for opportunities to show their appreciation. Looking for
03/05/2019
Blog
Stop Reading and Start Doing
Reading and research are great but they can also keep you from achieving your goals. Sometimes the best way to learn how to do something
02/26/2019
Bad Bosses
The Problem with Short-Term Bosses
Too many companies rely on short-term fixes to address long-term, complex problems. The result is a series of failed attempts at resolving fundamental, underlying business
02/21/2019
Blog
How Long-Term Thinking Saved Your Favorite Jeans
Too many companies rely on short-term fixes to address long-term, complex problems. The result is a series of failed attempts at resolving fundamental, underlying business
02/19/2019
Blog
These Four Words Set Great Leaders Apart
“Bad bosses are small-minded. Great leaders are mission-minded.” The best leaders are great communicators. They understand the importance of clear, concise, and continuous communications with
02/12/2019
Bad Bosses
A Good Leader Has Your Back
Strong leaders support their employees and create a high performing culture. Those that don’t create an organization based on fear. I had spent thousands of dollars
02/05/2019
Bad Bosses
The Absent Leader
While most people identify micromanagement as the worst leadership style, there is another type of boss who is equally destructive to an organization, the absent leader.Read more The Absent Leader
01/29/2019
Blog
Too Busy to Lead?
“The managers of this company just don’t care.” That was the feedback I received from one of the production workers and I was trying to
01/22/2019
Blog
Deployed for Christmas
“I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams” – Bing Crosby I never liked eggnog. As a young man, I hadn’t really developed
12/03/2018
Blog
5 Ways Skill Stacking Can Boost your Career
In five years, I went from being an associate design engineer in a cubicle to a general manager with a corner office leading a $50
10/02/2018
Blog
Finding the Right Leadership Balance
I once had a boss I secretly nicknamed “TQ” which stood for “Twenty Questions.” The reason he earned that name is that every time we
09/25/2018
Blog
Top 10 Best Selling Books in Business Management & Leadership for September 2018
Leaders need to be readers. I recommend reading leadership and business books regularly to sharpen your skills and make you aware of important, new concepts.
09/20/2018
Blog
The Real Cost of Poor Quality
It’s one thing to have a quality problem but the way you address it can make all the difference in the world. You may have
09/18/2018
Blog
Remembering 9/11
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” —Sandy Dahl, wife of
09/11/2018
Blog
Learning to Love Customer Complaints
Bob wasn’t happy. The product we designed specifically for him didn’t fit. After months of work creating a special component, we failed. The unit wouldn’t
09/10/2018
Blog
Barnevik on Leadership: Getting the Most out of your Team
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. I was a 32-year-old engineering manager with virtually no manufacturing experience, but
09/05/2018
Blog
Best New Business & Leadership Books of 2018 So Far (August 2018)
Leaders need to be readers. I recommend reading leadership and business books regularly to sharpen your skills and make you aware of important, new concepts.
08/30/2018
Blog
10 Tips for Rookie Leaders. What to do in the First 100 Days
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a brand new leader, every time you take on a new leadership role, you are the rookie. You are
08/27/2018
Blog
The Secret to Reaching your Goals
The other day, I reached 1,000 workouts tracked on my GymHero app. That’s more than three years consistently going to the gym. I say this
08/25/2018
Blog
What makes an Entrepreneur an Entrepreneur?
She was only 22 and an introvert but she spent years selling her product door-to-door trying to get her tiny company off the ground. Most
08/23/2018
Blog
The Gift of Being Present
Our pastor told a great story last week. He shared his experience having meetings with people and their cell phones. He said the placement of
08/20/2018
Blog
Top 10 Best Selling Books in Business Management & Leadership for August 2018
Leaders need to be readers. I recommend reading leadership and business books regularly to sharpen your skills and make you aware of important, new concepts.
08/16/2018
Blog
Communicating Bad News
It’s never easy telling people bad news. As a leader, I have had more than my share of experience telling employees things they didn’t want
08/15/2018
Blog
The One Job Nobody Wants (And Why You Should Take It)
Everybody wants to be the boss. They want to be in charge. They want the corner office, the assistant, the parking spot, the title, the
08/13/2018
Blog
Learning for Leaders: 5 Simple Ways to Embed Learning into your Demanding Schedule
Like most leaders, I’m very busy. My role as the CEO of a start-up manufacturing company requires a great deal of time and effort. I’m
08/06/2018
Blog
Solitude: 5 Reasons Why Leaders Need Time Alone
I had a lot of things on my mind. Our start-up company was growing fast but I felt there was more we could be doing.
07/30/2018
Blog
The Strenuous Life: 3 Entrepreneurial Takeaways from Theodore Roosevelt’s Famed Speech
When we started our company, we didn’t have an office. It was still under construction. Our landlord gave us a dozen old desks that we
07/23/2018
Blog
Staying on Course: How to Protect Your Mission
As the machinery division officer on a nuclear submarine during the cold war, I had the challenging task of checking the boat for “rattles” before
07/16/2018
Blog
Building an Unstoppable Team
Last week, I went out to the factory floor to see how we were doing building a critical order for a new customer. From a
07/09/2018
Blog
Breaking Away from Big Brands
I recently had an experience staying in a $68 a night hotel that was remarkable. I was helping my son move and I just need
07/05/2018
Blog
The Truth about Chasing Down a Dream
For several weeks, orders were unusually low. Our growth seemed to be stalled. I was getting nervous. I was starting to think our business had
07/02/2018
Blog
Honoring Those That Never Came Home – The Evolution of Memorial Day
Just West of Cambridge, England on an immaculate slope of deep green grass surrounded by sprawling woodlands lies a powerful reminder of the tragedy of
05/02/2018
Blog
Death of a Business: The Problem with Choosing the Wrong Strategy
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Michael Porter When I was a kid in the 1970s there was only one place
01/04/2018
Blog
Get out of your Bubble: Why the Secret to Great Leadership Insight is found in the Breakroom, not the Boardroom
What if you could know what your employees were thinking? What if you could see the company through their eyes? How would your leadership efforts
01/02/2018
Blog
Forget the New Year’s Resolution, Do This Instead to Make Lasting Change
The biggest problem with resolutions is that a vast majority of people never achieve them. Statistics show that 20% of Americans will drop out after
12/26/2017
Blog
How a Crappy Cup of Coffee Helped Me Find My Purpose in Life and How to Find Yours
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. Winter in Northern Ohio is tough and the people who live through
12/19/2017
Blog
5 Reasons Why We’re More Productive on Planes and How to Replicate it at Work
“Please place your seat back and tray table in their full upright and locked position and check to ensure your seat belt is securely fastened.”
12/13/2017
Blog
What can a Christmas Movie about an Elf Teach us about Leadership?
Full confession. I once dressed up as Buddy the Elf and delivered candy canes to all my employees. That’s how much I love the movie
12/11/2017
Blog
The One Trait That Makes Veterans Invaluable Employees
Why do some people succeed while others give up? What is it that allows certain individuals to endure the toughest challenges without wavering? Is it
11/10/2017
Blog
The Best Way to Thank a Veteran this Veteran’s Day
This Veteran’s Day, don’t thank a veteran, hire a veteran. It will be the best thing you ever did for your company. “If you are
11/06/2017
Blog
12 Rules for Success that Turned a Small Family Business into a Global Brand
Bill Marriott, former CEO of Marriott International, learned business and leadership by observing his father, J. Willard Marriott. The elder Marriott was one of the
11/02/2017
Blog
The One Mistake to Avoid as a New Leader
You got the new job. You accepted the promotion. You’re in charge now. Whether you’re a first-time leader or an experienced manager in a new role, the
10/31/2017
Blog
Looking to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone? Hire a Navy Seal
“Don’t get too comfortable. Ever.” Navy Seal Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. We’ve all probably read this quote or seen something
10/25/2017
Blog
Are Employees an Expense or an Asset? The Answer May Surprise You
“Being an employee of several different companies, I can honestly say that I’ve felt like nothing more than a line item on a spreadsheet somewhere
10/19/2017
Blog
5 Keys to Setting the Tone as a New Leader
Whether you’re a first-time leader or an experienced manager in a new role, the first 100 days are critical. People are watching you closely which
10/12/2017
Blog
Building a StoryBrand Book is Released
If you follow this blog, you know I am a huge Donald Miller fan. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to
10/11/2017
Blog
This Start-Up Story is a Must Read for Every Entrepreneur
Forget all the phony internet garbage about how glorious the life of an entrepreneur is. Ignore the Instagram pictures of Ferraris and private jets with
10/09/2017
Blog
Putting Employees Ahead of Customers
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. The best leaders put customers first, right? Not if you are
10/05/2017
Blog
Can a Japanese Manufacturing Technique be the Secret to Self-Improvement?
Americans are terrible at sticking to goals. Just go to any gym in January and look at the crowded parking lot. The same gym will
10/03/2017
Blog
3 Reasons Why Punctuality Will Help your Career
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. I’ve always been on time and I think it started with my
09/26/2017
Blog
Getting Comfortable with Making Mistakes
Many people put off the dream of starting their own business because they are afraid to fail. The truth is, about half of all new
09/21/2017
Blog
10 Steps to Survive and Thrive in Your First Leadership Job
I had all the wisdom of a 23-year-old and all the experience of a junior officer who spent the past year in Naval training
09/19/2017
Blog
Great Leaders Aren’t Afraid to Love Their Teams
One frustrating thing I see in leaders from time to time is a negative attitude towards people. Many choose a career in leadership who don’t
09/14/2017
Blog
Remembering 9/11: Lessons in Crisis Leadership
The world changed on September 11, 2001. And as a leader, I changed too. I was seven years out of the Navy and leading
09/05/2017
Blog
The Truth about Authenticity
While fake news is often hard to spot, phony advertising, inauthentic companies, and fake people aren’t. I was listening to my favorite podcast the
08/28/2017
Blog
3 Reasons Why Leaders Need a No Whining Policy
When Pope Francis tells you to stop whining, you know there is power in the message. Since becoming the new pope, Francis has been a
08/13/2017
Blog
To Bring Your Plans to Life, You Need a Dedicated Crew
“Officers and crew of the United States Gerald R. Ford, man our ship and bring her to life!” commanded Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President
07/24/2017
Blog
Trust and Speed: Lessons from Percy Barnevik
How do you get a large, multinational company to move fast? You do what Percy Barnevik did at ABB in the late 80’s and early
07/10/2017
Blog
Stop Expecting People to be Perfect
I have written many times that leadership is a people business. It’s about motivating and challenging people to accomplish big things. If you don’t like
07/07/2017
Blog
Gathering of Six Active-Duty Marine Corps Four-Star Generals
At one time in history, the Marine Corps had six active-duty four-star generals. On April 19, 2013, they gathered at the home of the Commandant
07/04/2017
Blog
Get Up & Get Going!
“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” Aristotle As I wrote about in The Secrets of
06/30/2017
Blog
3 Reasons Why the Struggle is More Important than the Goal
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
06/28/2017
Blog
Everyone Can Help Give Veterans a Fighting Chance
I remember the feeling I had stepping off the USS Tennessee for the last time. It was 1994, I was 26 years old, and I
06/22/2017
Patton on Micromanagement
“Keep on advancing… whether we go over, under, or through the enemy,” General Patton told his troops, and they did. Under his leadership, the 3rd Army
06/17/2017
Belichick on Bringing your Team Back to Earth
Celebrating success and honoring achievement is an important aspect of leadership but, if you want to be successful over the long run, you can’t spend
06/14/2017
Blog
The Bleeding Edge: When Innovation Fails
In 2002, in the early days of Bluetooth, I toured the Bosch white goods factory in Germany. They presented to us their concept of the
06/09/2017
Blog
The Discipline of Getting Things Done
I love being an entrepreneur. I love being my own boss. The freedom to operate my business the way I want to is everything I
06/06/2017
Blog
None of the Above
Fair warning, this is not my typical article. It’s not about leadership, business, careers, culture, entrepreneurship, or the military. But it’s related. This post
06/04/2017
The Four C’s of Leadership
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.
06/01/2017
Blog
The Secrets of Morning People Revealed
For most of my life, I couldn’t stand morning people. They seemed so annoyingly happy. They got up early, they planned their day, they
05/30/2017
Fail Fast & Fix It Faster
As a leader and entrepreneur, there is nothing I hate more than to see a leader who can’t make a decision. In my career, I
05/25/2017
Blog
10 Culture-Changing Ways to Honor Employees
My Dad is awesome. As a retired high voltage electrician, he loves the fact that I run a business producing medium and high voltage products.
05/20/2017
Blog
Barnevik on Decisiveness
My first CEO was hardcore. And it was awesome. In 1994, I left the U.S. Navy to work for the global engineering company, ABB, as a
05/11/2017
Don’t Ever Start a Band: Six Things to Consider Before Becoming an Entrepreneur
Jimmy Buffett’s hit song, The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful, starts off with his band members demanding things from him. “Where’s my per
05/09/2017
Blog
Simon Sinek on Loving your Company
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. Simon Sinek is an author, speaker, and marketing consultant. He has written
05/04/2017
Stop Talking and Start Doing: 5 Ways to Become a Person of Action
People with good intentions make terrible employees. Don’t get me wrong, good intentions are fine but I prefer working with people who get things done.
05/02/2017
Blog
Why Entrepreneurs Love when Big Companies Don’t Care
The world was shocked to see a viral video of a paying customer being dragged from a United Airlines flight. It was unthinkable to believe
04/25/2017
The Man in the Arena – 107 Years Later
107 years ago today, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech called “Citizenship In A Republic” at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France. In that speech, he included a
04/23/2017
Blog
Six Reasons You Need to Hire a Veteran Today
Hiring is tough. Finding the right person who will make a great employee is one of the hardest jobs we do as leaders. We are
04/17/2017
The Joy of Middle Management
So, you’ve finally made it to middle management. You’ve arrived at that magical place where you are responsible and accountable for the performance of a
04/10/2017
Blog
A leader is best when people barely know he exists
This is one of my favorite leadership quotes. The idea that a team would be so intrinsically motivated to complete a goal they forget
04/07/2017
Blog
10 Leadership Lessons I Learned Living on a Nuclear Submarine
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. My first job out of college was my dream job. I served
04/05/2017
Blog
3 Questions You Should Ask Before Taking a Leadership Job
There is a crisis in America. There is a shortage of good leaders and it seems to be getting worse. The problem, as Susan
04/03/2017
The One Job Nobody Wants (And Why You Should Take It)
Everybody wants to be the boss. They want to be in charge. They want the corner office, the assistant, the parking spot, the title, the
03/27/2017
Blog
The Secret to Building an Unstoppable Team
Have you ever noticed that there are some teams who just know how to win? Companies that outpace their rivals, sports teams that dominate their
03/20/2017
Blog
The One Trait Your CEO Wants You to Have
I’ve received many compliments over the years in my work life, but the one I have the hardest time accepting is when someone says I’m
03/04/2017
02/25/2017
Blog
10 Signs your Boss is a Jerk (and what to do about it)
In 30 years of work, I wish I could say I have never had a bad boss. The truth is, I have had a few terrible
02/18/2017
When Small Company Thinking Beats Big Company Thinking
I love being the CEO of a small company. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. One of the biggest reason is the speed at
01/24/2017
Blog
Do Something Memorable for your Employees
The company I recently co-founded, Peak Demand Inc., celebrated its first-anniversary last week. As you can imagine, the first year of any new company is especially
01/21/2017
3 Lessons in Customer Service from a Captain Who Cared
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. ~ Donald Porter If you’re looking for
01/13/2017
Blog
Five Ways a New Leader Sets the Tone
“As a leader you set the tone for your entire team.” ~ Colin Powell You did it. You got the big promotion. You now have the
01/05/2017
Blog
A New Year’s Resolution that will Always Work
“…a little less talk and a lot more action” ~ Toby Keith It’s the time of the year where we begin planning and talking
12/31/2016
Blog
Should I Stay or Should I Go? What to do when you Disagree with Management
“If I go there will be trouble, An’ if I stay it will be double” ~ The Clash The new year is a time
12/27/2016
The 7 Best Employee Gifts
This is the time of the year where we think about gifts. We gather with family and friends and exchange gifts that we hope will
12/24/2016
Are you Leading a Rebellion in your Industry?
“Rebellions are Built on Hope” ~ Jyn Erso, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Yes, I am a Star Wars fan. In fact, I’m old
12/22/2016
Blog
The Power of your Presence
Here’s a quick story to remind you how powerful your presence as a leader is. Several years ago, I took over a new business.
02/22/2016
5 Qualities Every Employee Wants in a Boss
Great article by Randy Conley. It seems like common sense but too often these simple leadership traits are overlooked.
06/29/2015
Are You Easy to Follow? 10 Things Great Leaders Know and Do
Randy Conley is right on target in this article on Leading with Trust. He asks a simple question to leaders, “are you easy to follow?”
05/19/2015
One Kind Word
Today, one of my colleagues gave me the ultimate compliment. In front of my boss and several other senior leaders, he told me something very meaningful.
05/06/2015
Blog
Desperately Seeking Leadership
I had a great opportunity to teach a session on leadership to a group of students finishing up their MBA program at a major
04/28/2015
5 Ways Leadership can Transform a Conflicted Workplace
When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you. ~ African proverb If you’ve spent any time in the corporate world, you
04/21/2015