To lead others, you need a compelling vision. But lofty words are not enough. A vision statement must draw a crystal-clear picture of the future that guides action. In 2000, I took over Nelson Books, a major division of Thomas Nelson. I quickly discovered that it was the least profitable of the fourteen units in […]

Recently I had an idea for one of my coaching clients. It was a fundamental change to her business model that I knew would 10x her business and provide her with more personal margin to focus on her health and most important relationships. As we talked, she got excited about the possibilities. But almost immediately, […]

Historically, there was one primary breadwinner in a family. One spouse, usually the husband, went to work. The other, usually the wife, managed the home. For my parents’ generation, that was still the norm.  Demographics began to change with World War II, when many more women were needed in the workforce. Since then, there’s been […]

Our words carry enormous weight. More than we sometimes think. They often impact people for decades, providing the courage to press on or the reason to give up.

Face it. You will eventually quit your job. It may be this year. It may be next. It may be ten years from now. But it’s inevitable. It’s only a matter of time. The only real question is how to do it in a way that doesn’t burn your bridges.

A few years ago, Gail, my daughter Marissa, and I spent three weeks in Italy. It was our first visit. I had high expectations, but I still wasn’t prepared for the warmth of the people or the richness and variety of wine and food. I felt like every day was a new and even better […]

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts when the host  confessed he hadn’t taken a vacation in over a year. Admitting that he was on the edge of burnout, he said, “This has to change.” I immediately thought, Why hasn’t it changed before now? How do you let yourself get into this kind […]

Recently, I decided to grow a beard. I had one for a few weeks in my early 30s, but shaved it because it was too prickly and uneven. I decided to give it another go while on vacation a month ago. Just for the fun of it, I posted a selfie on Instagram and asked […]

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits,  recently tweeted, “Most people need consistency more than they need intensity.” In my experience, especially as a business coach, that’s true. Last year, for example, one of my clients experienced a significant revenue shortfall. It had a dramatic, negative impact on his cash flow and almost destroyed his business. […]

Last year, my business revenue grew 62 percent. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it presents a whole new set of problems—problems I didn’t face last year. This is where many entrepreneurs and business leaders get stuck. Let me explain. The key to rapid growth is innovation. You develop a new product […]

Over the years, I have noticed that there are two kinds of thinking. One kind leads to success, joy, and fulfillment. The other leads to failure, fear, and discontent. Which type are you?

She said, “no,” and then I shared them with her. [smartads] I have always taken these for granted, but realized this was a brand new thought for Gail. … As a leader, whenever you delegate a task, you need to make it clear what level of authority you are conferring: Level 1: Do exactly what I have asked you to do.

General McClellan had significant character flaws that I believe serve as a warning signs to anyone in leadership. Ultimately, these cost him dearly: He lost Lincoln’s confidence, his job, and a run for the White House (against Lincoln). Worse, they prolonged the Civil War and cost the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

What are the baseline qualities you look for in anyone you add to your team. I suggest that the ideal candidate has four.

Leadership is more than influence. It certainly includes influence, but it is more. I believe it includes at least five characteristics. I call these the five marks of authentic leadership.

As a leader, how do you become a better leader? If you’re like me, you probably read a lot of books, listen to podcasts, and attend a few conferences. But one of the best ways to grow is to ask other leaders questions.

I first heard about Slack, a new software app for internal communication, in early 2014. At the time, our team was growing, and we were struggling to keep everyone aligned. We were using email for all our internal communication, and it was proving insufficient to keep everyone on the same page. Specifically, we didn’t have […]

Growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of people who looked like me. My childhood was spent Circleville, Ohio, which is in the middle of the country. My family was lower-middle class. We went to a church that wasn’t exactly cutting edge. Even when I went off to college, I was exposed to ideas […]

I love watching the movie where a guy named George finds himself stuck in a crummy little town working in a shabby little office. Everyone else has moved away to bigger and better things. His hardscrabble life and years of sacrifice and responsibility chip away at his dreams of seeing the world. Suddenly, a financial […]

Nat King Cole. Pinatas. Swedish meatballs. Ravioli. Gingerbread houses. These are things that come to mind when I recall my childhood Christmases. One might even say that these are a few of my favorites things, in the words of the old song from “The Sound of Music” that became an unlikely Christmas classic in its […]

Goal visibility is one of the key but often overlooked components of goal achievement. So as 2018 draws to a close, I asked four business leaders how they keep their goals in front of them once they’ve been set. They all had different ways of doing it, yet they all make the effort. Maybe one […]

My sister is obsessed with games. Video games, board games, role-playing games – she loves them all. She will readily admit that the pure glee she derives from unlocking achievements fuels this obsession. She isn’t alone. Quests result in gold, each round of Tetris earns additional points, and grown adults spend more time searching neighbor’s […]

Steve Smith is a Scotland-born, Canada-raised hockey defenseman whose NHL career spanned 15 seasons. He is less well known for winning three Stanley Cup championships than for a single mistake. In 1986, while a rookie skating for the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, Smith took the puck behind his own net and looked […]

For all of the champagne, new diets, and gym memberships folks are about to experience, only about eight percent of resolution-takers succeed in attaining their goals. What goes wrong? Any number of answers might hold a kernel of truth, but I’d offer the following: New Year’s Day is not a real new beginning. Much as […]