Articles

Man in a suit, palm up, gesturing stop.

Good Boss / Bad Boss

July 27, 2019

Good bosses matter. The context you create for your top talent can mark the difference between a mediocre and a top performer. At one point in my career I went from being ranked a mediocre performer by the worst boss I ever had to being in the top 10% by the best boss I ever had. I was working just as hard for both bosses. The only thing that changed was my boss.

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Four Questions For Your Direct Reports

June 26, 2019

As you grow as a leader you find yourself spending more time developing people and less time knee-deep in the weeds. Here are four questions to ask your direct reports on a regular basis. If you do so, they will evolve in their ability to deliver results and you will develop as a leader.

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Leadership and Diversity: Making the Most of the Mix

April 24, 2015

Most people know that diversity in their organizations is important. That is, most people have a vague sense that more diversity on their teams would lead to more innovation, higher creativity, stronger engagement, etc. But did you also know that more diversity leads to better business results?

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Silhouettes of five people

The Business of People

June 22, 2013

Running a business with employees is messy and fraught with challenges, not the least of which is the challenge that so many employees are also people — people who have dreams, fears, families, loneliness, hope, illness, optimism, and all of whom want to be part of a successful endeavor.

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"Coaching & Mentoring" written in white

The Difference Between a Coach and a Mentor

July 19, 2012

A coach helps you be successful in business. A mentor helps you be successful in this business, — in this company, in this industry.

It used to be that you started your career at the bottom and set your sites on the corner office. If you were good — and just a tad bit lucky — a company veteran tapped you on the shoulder and took you under their wing. They showed you the ropes. They introduced you to the right people. They taught you how to lead and they made sure that you got what you needed to be successful. We reverently called these people our “mentors.”

What’s changed?

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Cohesive Leadership

April 6, 2011

A spotlight post highlighting some research on, what I call, Cohesive Leadership, reinforcing what I mean by an aligned organization and a cohesive leadership team. A cohesive leaderhsip team trusts one another, leverages each other’s skills to innovate, commits to a common agenda, and delivers results.

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What Got You Here Won't Get You There

March 30, 2011

A little bit of success is a dangerous thing. It lulls us into believing that we are savvy and invincible, that what got us to this point will continue to propel us forward.

I learned so many things from this book. Goldsmith is the preeminent executive coach of our time. I learned as much about my craft as an executive coach from reading between the lines as I did from digesting the text.

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Book Cover for The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs, by Carmine Gallo

The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs

February 2, 2011

You can say a lot of things about Steve Jobs. You can quote him, disagree with him, glorify or vilify him. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore him. In his lifetime he has managed to transform four industries. He has radically reinvented the computer, music, movie, and telecommunications industries. I would add, along with a chorus of others, that Jobs and Apple have transformed retail as well.

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