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I have, like many people, been watching with great interest the unfolding story of the firing of Carol Bartz, the recently former CEO of Yahoo.  It’s been a really interesting story to follow because both sides have handled the situation pretty poorly, making for some great stories to read. Yesterday, I stumbled across this post…

One of my blind spots as a manager is that I project my ambitions and work ethic on others.   I work pretty hard–not sure if it’s genetics or growing up on a farm that caused it.  And I have always been motivated to succeed quickly.  As a result, I have always jumped at any…

If there’s one thing I know about corporate HR and recruiting, it’s that money for conferences can be hard to come by.  Conferences can be such a great way to get energized, learn about what’s happening in the industry and meet some great peers from around the country.  I hated the task as a manager…

We spend too much time hedging our bets, playing it safe, having a back up plan.  When we have a decision in our life that’s really important, it seems wise to leave an escape plan, “in case things don’t work out.” Planning is important.  Commitment is the game changer. What would happen if you didn’t…

As I watched the first Sunday of NFL football yesterday, I started thinking about the fact that these grown men actually play a game for a living.  They study the game, practice the game, prepare to perform in the game, and condition to perform well in the game.  In addition, they study their opponents to…

My Dad has taught me a lot of important stuff throughout my life: never let anyone compromise your integrity, better to be lucky than good most days, working hard will set you apart, etc.  But, yesterday over a coffee with a friend, I was reminded of one of the most important lessons he taught me.…

Some lessons are hard ones to put into actual practice.  I have a project that I’ve been working on the past several months.  One part of this project has been giving me fits.  The harder I worked at the problem and the more creative I tried to be, the farther away from a solution I…

I think one of the most powerful things we can do as leaders is to help people understand the disconnect between their intentions and their actions.  People will often talk a good game about what they will do or what they intend to do, but it’s much harder to do it–particularly when there is risk…

As we enjoy a day off to celebrate the spirit of the American worker, I thought I’d share a few quotes to inspire us as we return to work tomorrow. There’s no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love.  There is only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen. -Wayne…

I am so excited to be joining Bill Boorman and  the fine folks at Jobsite in London this week for the TruLondon4 Unconference.  I love the unconference format and am flattered and privileged that they have invited me to join them as a guest track leader.  I look forward to sharing a post or two…