Management

As you become more senior in an organization, visibility isn’t optional—it’s expected. But when your team is doing the hands-on work, how do you talk about your role without taking undue credit or sounding vague? Here’s how to own your contributions with clarity and credibility.  Use “we-then-me” structure. Acknowledge the team first, then describe your own role. This signals collaboration while making […]

Most organizations approach culture change through training and communication, assuming that if you educate people and build their skills, you can expect action. But people’s behavior rarely changes this way. To drive real impact, follow a scientific approach using the “4T” model.  Target a specific behavior. Don’t aim to “improve culture” or “drive innovation.” Choose one high-impact behavior, decision, or outcome—for […]

When you step into a leadership role in an organization you didn’t grow up in, especially one with a strong legacy culture, your challenge is to drive change while simultaneously building trust. Here’s how to do both.  Observe before you act. Legacy cultures are often defined by unspoken norms, insider language, and invisible power structures. Your first priority should be to learn […]

Many employees are worried about how AI will affect their careers. While you can’t offer certainty to mitigate their anxiety, you can give your team honesty, empathy, and clarity. Here’s how to lead anxious employees through the unknown.  Name the fear. Start by normalizing anxiety. Share your own uncertainty and model courage by taking action anyway. Naming fears out loud helps your team feel […]

It’s an exhausting time to be in senior leadership. If your executive role feels unsustainable, you’re not alone. Many senior leaders are quietly questioning whether the top job is worth the stress. But instead of stepping down, step back. Here’s how to build a personal retention plan to stay put without sacrificing your well-being.  Reevaluate what the role really requires. Start […]

Today’s change isn’t linear or predictable. It’s chaotic, overlapping, and largely outside of your control. Traditional leadership strategies fall short. To lead effectively now, you need to make change feel routine for your team. Here’s how.  Reframe how you talk about change. Instead of selling a future-state vision, communicate change as an ongoing journey. Emphasize the risk of doing nothing, and help employees focus on steady progress. To avoid overwhelming them with […]

Kindness builds trust. But confusing kindness with avoiding discomfort can erode performance, drain morale, and stall your organization. If you’re rewarding underperformance, sidestepping feedback, or clinging to weak projects to spare feelings, you’re being nice at the expense of being good. Here’s how to reset.  Hold people accountable—especially high earners. Paying more should come with higher expectations. Be clear about performance standards, track progress […]

When you’re offered a top job, excitement can cloud your judgment. But misalignment at the outset often leads to frustration—for you and the board. Before you accept the role of CEO, pressure-test the opportunity by getting clear on four essential questions.   What’s the mission? Get clarity on the company’s north star. What is the strategic direction? Do board members […]

In today’s volatile climate, your ability to lead through uncertainty matters more than ever. Instead of defaulting to rigid planning or fear-based decisions, build your tolerance for ambiguity with these strategies.   Clarify what won’t change. When the future is unclear, ground yourself in core values. Identify what your business stands for—your mission, your customer focus, or your cultural principles—and use those as […]

Empathy at work matters, but expressing it in the wrong way can leave people feeling unseen or even burned out. Effective leaders practice “wise empathy”: responding with emotional intelligence that fits the specific situation. Here’s how to do it.  Read the emotional context. Before reacting, take a moment to assess what your employee is experiencing. Are they discouraged, excited, overwhelmed? […]

Generative AI can support creativity—but only if you use it strategically. Simply giving people access to AI tools doesn’t guarantee better ideas. What matters is how thoughtfully they engage with the tool. Here’s how to make it work. Use AI to build your creative capacity. AI helps you gather knowledge and free up mental bandwidth. […]

You’ve got a high-performing team member ready for the next step, but there’s no clear move available: no title change, no open seat at the top. Still, you can’t afford to let them stagnate. Here’s how to keep them engaged and growing. Be upfront. Don’t dodge the truth. Let them know there’s no promotion in […]

Taking over from a founder is a uniquely complex leadership challenge. You’re stepping into a role shaped by deep emotional ties, unspoken norms, and lasting loyalty. Here’s how to lead effectively—and how founders can help smooth the transition. Lead with quiet confidence. Don’t rush to prove yourself. Many successors overcompensate out of fear they’ll be […]

Professional friendships aren’t a luxury—they’re a strategic advantage. In a world where trust, learning, and collaboration are essential, building genuine relationships at work can boost performance and well-being. Here’s how to develop an integrated approach. Lead with the personal. New business friendships form through shared values and identity, not utility. Don’t start with professional gain; […]

To land a C-suite role today, you must win over more than just your future boss and board. Increasingly, professional recruiters and assessors—external experts hired to vet executive talent—play a powerful role in determining who advances. Here’s how to prepare. Adopt a development mindset. Treat the assessment process as a strategic growth opportunity. Even if […]

When executive mandates shift away from building for the future toward hitting short-term targets, long-term priorities can suffer. As a leader, you’re often caught in the middle, tasked with executing myopic decisions that could jeopardize future competitiveness. Here’s how to protect what matters while operating within current constraints.  Translate long-term impact into short-term proof. Executives act on what they can measure. Use metrics such […]

When you step into a bigger leadership role, you’re not necessarily granted time and space for strategic thinking, and it’s easy to get pulled back into the tactical work that you’ve excelled at. But to lead effectively at the next level, you need to change how you think, operate, and show up. Here’s how to regain control of your time and focus.  Diagnose the […]

When you step into a bigger leadership role, you’re not necessarily granted time and space for strategic thinking, and it’s easy to get pulled back into the tactical work that you’ve excelled at. But to lead effectively at the next level, you need to change how you think, operate, and show up. Here’s how to regain control of your time and focus.  Diagnose the […]

You’ve been asked by senior leadership to execute an approach you fundamentally oppose. You can’t stop it—but you can choose how you lead through it. Here’s how to preserve your integrity, protect your team, and stay effective under pressure.  Stabilize yourself. Before rushing into action, take time to process your reaction. Accept that the decision may not change, then shift from resistance to […]

When it feels like you’ve plateaued with your executive coach, don’t rush to end the relationship. That kind of lull is normal, and it’s either a sign of deeper growth or of a misalignment that needs to be addressed. Use these five steps to decide what’s next.  Recognize the plateau. Coaching often feels stagnant or repetitive after initial progress. This isn’t a sign of failure, but rather the result of […]