What is the biggest problem with most resumes?  They are boring, too long, and hide behind unverifiable generalities?  No, though these are common problems. The biggest resume failure is not listing failures! Usually, the experts say, “Don’t do it.”  Instead, focus on your strengths.  Be ready to talk about challenges and struggles, but don’t put them on the resume.  I […]

Let’s get practical.  What is it that very successful leaders do?  I’m referring to behavioral tendencies – the way they typically do things.  I’ve thought about this issue a great deal, and I’m convinced there are more than ten answers!  But we have to start somewhere, so here are my top ten rules for highly effective leaders. Be an […]

I know I need feedback on occasion, but I want you to know that you need it too! It’s simple.  We all do things that we are not aware of.  It’s also true that even when we are aware of our behaviors, we don’t always understand how others perceive them.  These are powerful reasons that we all need […]

Conflict is not a dirty word.  Great leaders know how to create and manage positive conflict to support innovation.  This involves passionate debates and disagreements, but not enduring animosity.  It’s about serving forward motion, creating something new and better. Negative conflict is about persistent personality clashes, toxic behaviors, and any other form of generally unproductive negativity.  We need less […]

I am a huge fan of feedback, and not just when it’s formally delivered, via say an employee review or customer survey.  I especially like proactive feedback-seeking behavior that results in informal feedback.  Sure, it should be measured.  Don’t avoid it and don’t spend all of your time chasing it.  When used thoughtfully on occasion, it’s a beautiful fuel […]

I receive questions from around the world on a regular basis and the questions cover just about everything.  Topics include how to change careers, how to get promoted, learning to say no, dealing with integrity issues, gaining confidence, building communication skills, supporting innovation, and many more. However, three are by far the most common.  Here is my […]

I don’t care what people think about me.  I stopped caring many years ago.  It’s beautifully liberating when you achieve this feat. Okay, if I’m being honest, it’s a long journey – and the goal isn’t to stop caring completely.  Of course not.  The goal is to meaningfully reduce how much you care so that you are not overinvesting […]

Imposter syndrome is a popular idea because nearly everyone – overachiever or not – can relate.  You put on our game face each day, but sometimes wonder when everyone will realize you’re a fraud.  Some of us experience this a lot, some of us rarely, but most of us feel it at some point. I am a […]

I used to say that leading was about moving employees past mere compliance towards real commitment.  Compliance is about doing the minimum, whereas commitment is a feeling of dedication that drives strong engagement. This is a useful idea, but I’ve come to realize it’s not complete. All employees will become committed.  The only question is to what […]

It’s well known that, when possible, a leader should give people room to work.  We often call this autonomy.  The research is clear – employees enjoy being treated like adults who can do their job without unnecessary interventions from the boss.  Sounds obvious, but it’s less common than you might imagine. Instead, there are a few typical ways […]