Blog

By: Josh

Mark Twain’s quote, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead,” is a message that regularly emerges in my mind. Whether it’s writing for work, writing for 3x5, or talking about writing with others, I’m reminded of his...

By: JJ

You and your team have just finished a significant amount of work crafting a clear and purpose driven vision statement. You’ve carefully laid out your long-term goals, developed the strategy necessary to achieve those goals, and are motivated to get after it. Now fast-forward six...

By: Josh

The less I talk, the better the discussion.

This is a philosophy that guides how I lead, engage with others, run meetings, and facilitate developmental sessions. There is power in questions. They create space, opportunity, engagement, and creativity. Questions can create meaningful...

By: Josh

Two podcasts I regularly listen to each end with a consistent question. One asks, “What advice would you give to young, emerging leaders?” The other inquires, “What have you changed your mind about recently?”

Curious, hungry, and committed leaders seek advice....

By: Shawn

Think back to the last time you actually stopped someone and asked them for directions. Not so long ago, this was a pretty common occurrence, and we placed our full trust in a random stranger on the side of the road. Now, with instant access to numerous digital maps, many of us prefer...

By: Josh 

When I think of what ownership on a team looks and sounds like, there are three enduring examples that stick out to me.  

The first is from L. David Marquet’s book, Turn the Ship Around!, where he shares his ship’s three-name rule. When any member of the crew...

By: Josh

Leadership is connecting with others and developing them.

It’s identifying the need for organizational change and leading those monumental efforts.

It’s crafting deliberate, intentional messages and communication.

It’s investing in stakeholders, building relationships,...

By: Sam

Open your favorite news app, scroll through your go-to social media page, or, if you are feeling daring, turn on the live news. With today’s nearly limitless access to information, I have found myself overwhelmed by information. But it wasn’t until a few months ago that I...

By: Josh

When you think back to all the bosses you’ve had over your career – who are the intentional, positive, and inspiring ones you remember?

What about them and how they led makes them memorable for you still today?

In my first year working after graduating college, I remember one...

By: Josh

I don’t feel like I am actually part of this conversation at all.  

He just won’t shut up.  

She never asks me for my input.  

He thinks he has all the answers.  

Have you said any of these to yourself recently at work? Or maybe...

By: Josh

Feedback is an essential component of all leaders’ developmental journey. Yet, despite feedback being a core part of any developmental plan and a topic widely researched within organizational behavior, leaders still struggle to effectively leverage this tool to develop others and...

By: Josh

It all comes back to feedback.

I’ve written these words numerous times. Maybe even a few too many times. So much so, in fact, that when I departed my previous job two years ago, several direct reports on my team gifted me a going away plaque that captured many of my...

By: Josh

I recently finished Adam Grant’s newest book, Think Again, which argued for developing a willingness to and skills for questioning our assumptions, knowledge, and approaches to how we work with others. I found it a compelling and intriguing read.

But there is one statement he...

By: Josh

I was hired into an organization a few years ago that espoused a culture of leadership excellence and prioritization of leader development. I was thrilled to join this new team. When I attended my first meeting as a new hire, though, I was quickly and significantly let down. No one...

By: Josh

Fulfilling the responsibilities of “leader” is in fact not one singular role with a set, unchanging job description.  Instead, it is a complex web of many roles that we fill over time – even within the short span of a day.

Leaders must be many things, to many...

By: Josh

Lunch typically remains an individual activity in my team, as I think it does for many others. You have the freedom to work through lunch, to go home to be with family, to go out with colleagues, or use that time to engage with important stakeholders.

That is, except for the first...

By: Josh

I recently talked with a mentee about his new developmental goal, which aimed to improve some specific aspects of his communication skills as a leader. As we talked, I offered a few perspectives about communication, which started off by discussing the three strategies to help...

By: Josh

You can’t lead if you can’t communicate.

Do you craft strong correspondence through your emails?

Are you able to successfully inform, influence, and inspire with your spoken words?

Can you write in a clear and compelling way?

A core leadership skill is communication....

By: Josh

Leaders must provide clarity on what it important...and what is not...for their organization. They set and communicate priorities, eliminate distractions, and ultimately, build capacity for their people.

Prioritization is the act of defining the organization's 'big rocks' and placing...

By: Sam

How individualized are your leader development efforts? Are your events, activities, and initiatives tailored to the unique needs of your team, or even more importantly, to individuals? Or are they broad brush strokes waving over vague, cookie cutter topics on leadership? 

How are...

By: Josh

One of the personal accomplishments I am most proud of is completing the 2015 Leadville 100 Mile Trail Race. I share this not to boast; I had to work my butt off for a whole year to achieve that. But I believe it is something I am extremely proud of because of the commitment and...

By: Josh

I often use my morning runs to consume podcasts, especially one of my favorites, The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk. He always interviews the most impressive people and, without fail, every conversation is engaging and compelling. (This is not a plug for the podcast, I...