A recap from our June 2026 Executive Reset - and why every CEO and CHRO in the room left with the same homework. On June 17th, Candace Goodwin and I hosted our June Executive Reset. I want to share the data that drove the room’s reaction - because I think it should drive yours too. Here’s the number we opened with: 78% of employees rate their managers as only moderately effective - or worse - at supporting their development. Just 22% are rated ...
The leaders I work with have found that “flexible focus” is necessary for success today. Success is defined as: Delivering results on goals Keeping the team focused and productive Navigating the increasing pace of change without becoming misaligned Making time to keep a long-term view while delivering short term results Utilizing leadership agility skills to achieve the above. Success is still defined about hitting financial targets and other yearly goals. With all the uncertainty in the country, economy and world today, leaders have ...
When folks feel unsafe or uncertain, our reptilian brain kicks in and we have to fight the urge to “fight, flight, freeze”. Today, most of us are experiencing those feelings outside of work as well, as economic and global instability are dominating every form of media and communication. When our livelihood is at stake, we need to see it to believe it. Leaders need to honestly reflect on what is behind the belief that innovation is risky and mistakes are “failures” that ...
Influencing skills are not only valuable but absolutely necessary in a leadership position. As John Maxwell said, “A leader without followers is simply a person taking a walk”. The higher up one goes in an organization, the more they get must results through people. In the old days, most companies were hierarchies. If you wanted something done from someone below you on the org chart, you had the authority to make that happen. Today, organizations are flatter, less likely to have position ...
Simple but practical steps to rebuild trust. The number one way to build trust is to have a high “say/do ratio”. If you say it, announce it or promise it – do it! Frequent changes in direction lose buy-in because they’re just the “flavor of the month”. Eventually, they’re ignored. Authentic, frequent communication is the foundation of trust. Speak in conversational language, not PR soundbites. Even if there’s something you can’t share yet, address the elephant in the room or any rumors. ...
There's a proven connection between employee engagement and better business outcomes! It can affect sales and profitability, productivity and customer ratings, turnover and absenteeism, quality of work and safety incidents to name just a few. Creating a culture of engagement leads to happier employees and an increase in company success. So what do you look for and what leads to disengagement? Common red flags include: Behavior changes - less participation in meetings, being off-camera on zoom, etc. Quality of work product - ...
The Only Way to Elevate Your Company is to Elevate Your People Life, Leadership & Resilience was the topic of our March 2024 Newsletter, The PaceSetter which still seems "spot on" a year later. In the journey of effective leadership, the importance of authenticity, truthfulness, and audacity in pursuing one's dreams are critical. It encourages aspiring leaders to embody the leadership they wish they had, prioritize actions over words, seek honest feedback, and remain undeterred by external opinions. Failure is a universal experience ...
The most common leadership styles are autocratic, democratic and delegative. So, how does each style affect a crisis in a corporation? The autocrat will need to make all the decisions in a crisis, keep everyone in fire-drill mode and require continuous updates. Many times they insist on being the point person for communications, not trusting anyone else to handle it. They may prefer to release very little information and keep full details close to the vest to be shared only with a few ...
The most distinguishing trait of a true visionary leader is their ability to craft an emotionally engaging picture of a desired end state, one that motivates and enlists their followers in believing it is truly possible. History has provided amazing examples, like our Founding Fathers creating a democracy, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and more recently, Obama’s original campaign founded on the “Audacity of Hope”. Visionary Leaders have high levels of emotional intelligence and are able to influence others to ...
Many successful entrepreneurs are so busy growing their business that they neglect continued development for themselves and their teams. However, it’s just common sense that the leadership skills you need when you run a $100K business are very different than when it’s $1M or $20M or higher. The entrepreneurs I’ve worked with recognize this. The first step is to become aware that there are some things that you don’t know that you don’t know! Here are some places entrepreneurs can go for ...
