Are you the type of person to strike up a conversation with a stranger on an airplane? If so, then I’m not your favorite seatmate. Most often you’ll find me head down in my laptop working on an article like this one or preparing content for an upcoming speaking or training program. Recently, however, I [...]
Worst sentence starter ever! And how often does it start your sentences? I’m returning from my annual adventures at the USA Volleyball Adult National Championships where I competed with a new group of women. I begin training my body in January, because when the tournament becomes the most challenging (in the medal rounds), I want [...]
“Habits are technically defined as: the choices that all of us deliberately make at some point, and then stop thinking about but continue doing, often every day.” That statement was enough for me to be hooked on this book. Mr. Duhigg walks us through the steps to change a habit and also ones to build [...]
Duty or desire…I’m not sure this is the spectrum. And, the more I read about employee engagement the more I wonder about it. Couple that with the complexity of character strength and personal values and the pieces of the puzzle grow. Do you operate from duty or desire? When you show up at your place [...]
Mr. Useem does a great job of taking nine real events, telling the story of each of them, and then debriefing the leadership moments throughout the event. Whether you believe leadership is a calling, or doing the right thing, or making a difference, there is a story here for you. It's an easy read and [...]
Springtime has sprung, and the zoo is filled with babies. I love the zoo, and all the ways animal behavior and human behavior aren’t that far apart. Recently I walked through the elephant exhibit and noticed how fascinated we are with elephants pooping. Yes, I said it. Elephants consume between 100 and 125 pounds of [...]
Recently I enjoyed listening to David and Jonah Stillman on how the Gen Z workforce will contribute to the organizations they work for. The conversation of any generations habits starts with the monumental events of their youth. Significant events like 9/11, Challenger explosion, Pearl Harbor, assassination of Kennedy, are all examples of these events, and [...]
If you’re wondering about the skills involved in coaching, this book is a great place to start. The authors do a great job of providing easy steps to advance your skills while also giving ideas for your own growth. Coaching is a profession, a skill, and also a personal development option. This book seamlessly weaves [...]
In our recent Leaders’ Lab, the conversation was about succession planning. It's a complex topic that often becomes specific to the execution process for knowledge and client transfer. We discussed the very tactical approach of introducing new people into client relationships and educating future leaders about organizational knowledge. It’s premature to get so tactical, like [...]
“There is no group of Americans more pessimistic than working class whites.” As is true for most of the books shared here, this one was referred to me as the story of a lawyer who grew up in rural Kentucky (I was born in Kentucky, so it had immediate interest to me). He eventually found [...]
