When we fail to execute, we fail our teams, leave our customers exposed, and set our businesses up for disaster.

  In today’s workplace, one thing is very clear--the interconnectedness of work and life. Maintaining boundaries between work and family allows us to excel at both. Here are some examples of boundaries. Try them and then begin creating your own: I have a healthy...

Most diversity, equity and inclusivity initiatives in companies fail to result in real change or create real progress. Why? The problem with most activity is simply that – it is activity. Random activity. Regardless of the best of intentions, random activities will...

Let’s face it, dealing with difficult personalities is hard work. Left unaddressed, however, unhealthy conflict creates tension, reduces productivity and can wreck workplace cultures. Although it can be hard to reconcile different work styles and value systems, it’s...

This week we witnessed a brave and exemplary display as Simone Biles prioritized her health over competing in the team event at the Olympic games. I use the word "health" here comprehensively--some may say mental health, but in this case, I think physical health and...

  The room was stoic. It was obvious that a lot needed to be said that wasn’t actually being said. However, no one dared raise their concerns. Soon, the leader closed the meeting and the attendees spilled out into the hallway. Predictably, the meetings-after-the...

"It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure." – Bill Gates Face it: None of us like to admit we’re wrong. I’ve been a sports official for over 30 years, working every level from peewee football to college baseball and...

  On your mark, get set, GO!!! This simple voice command is familiar to most children as its often used to call the start of a race. When I was a little boy growing up in the heart of the Mississippi delta, I didn't care much about racing myself, but I always...

  Dread. Anxiety. Boredom. Fear. Anger. If these words describe your feelings about your job, you just might be in a toxic work culture. While you may think you have a dream job, if the culture is toxic, it can turn into a nightmare very quickly. This is because...

  Hybrid teams reign in the new world of work. Yet for most, leading a hybrid team (with success) will be one of the greatest leadership challenges of our generation. What is a hybrid team? Let’s start by defining a hybrid team, because many people are still...

The pandemic has been curtailed. The crisis is over. Or is it? What have you learned from the past 18 months? Has this period of your life revealed anything to you? Maybe you realize now that you can survive change, uncertainties, fear, loss, and a myriad of other...

  “If you want others to like you, if you want to develop real friendships, if you want to help others at the same time as you help yourself, keep this principle in mind: Become genuinely interested in other people.” — Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and...

Groups of people that have similar results often have similar habits. Thin people have similar habits. Overweight people have similar habits. Productive people have several habits in common. Likewise, there are success enhancers for careers, and there are often...

And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV. Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes they won’t. — Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places...

  Appreciation is a specific type of feedback that says, “I see you. You matter.” Appreciation feedback focuses on the value of the person. It can be delivered top-down, peer-to-peer, or bottom-up, and all directions matter. All employees absolutely need to hear...

Do you rush from one task to the next without feeling like you’ve accomplished much by the end of the day? Taking control of how you spend your time could make you more productive and reduce your stress. Start by evaluating where you are now and identifying simple...

Think back a few years to when you were sitting in a classroom as the teacher returned the “big test.” This was the day of reckoning. The results of your preparation, or lack of it, would be unveiled in a grade scribbled in red ink at the top of the paper. As you...

  Burnout is real and combatting it isn't a simple 3-step plan. If you're going to help your team (or yourself), you'll have to start with the basics--which are easy to say and hard to do. Begin by setting a reasonable expectation for your pace. Both at home and...