Say No (More)
If you want to accelerate your progress toward unprecedented results, start saying no. Say no during the strategy off-site and say no after it’s over. Pet Priorities
Stuff You (Should) Already Know
Some plain truths about humans that organizations pretend are myths —to the detriment of sales and souls. I recently ran across an article about how little attention we pa
When Rank Means Right
Have you ever had a boss who simply wouldn’t listen to your perspective? Maybe they dismissed you despite tons of supporting evidence that you might be right! Experience does eve
Strategic Decay
Newton understood something profound about matter –and it is equally true for human systems and behavior. In any system, over time, entropy increases. It applies in our organizat
A Strategic Plan With Legs: Strategic Planning Part 3
Most strategy off-sites deliver a sense of cohesion for the participants –and a slightly edifying town hall for everyone else. But few go the distance of becoming the guiding doc
A Wobbly Waterfall
The world has become consumed with measurement. Most everyone I know has a smart watch, smart ring, pedometer, or something else that measures their bodily functions. High-growth o
The Case of the Shrinking Executives
In some organizations, people grow and expand. They become more powerful and effective. In others, they shrink–shriveling in impact, disempowered. When that happens, once inf
You Push, They Push Back
When things aren’t going in the right direction, how do you approach your team to get better results? Do you talk more, push harder, change managers, insist louder, impose longer
When You can’t Say No. Or Yes.
I’m terrible at saying no! The refrain is so common that I hear it in my sleep.. Usually, when clients feel overloaded that is their self-diagnosis. Ther
The Upside of Anxiety
We often think of anxiety in negative terms. And of course, it can be debilitating and miserable. But it can also be a tool that you leverage, either for your own, or your team’s