Three charts method

Three charts method

Leaders often struggle to think strategically about the future leadership structure of the organization. They find it overwhelming to create a game plan that will set the organization up for long-term success. I often use a process of developing three organizational...
Prep for a tough conversation

Prep for a tough conversation

Seth and Sami consistently butt heads over how to move their work forward. Sami knows they need to talk, and that the conversation will be emotional and contentious. This discussion needs to happen, so that she and Seth get past their issues to make progress on their...
Be like Mrs. Knote

Be like Mrs. Knote

Mrs. Knote, who stood about 4 feet 10 inches (6 feet if you included her beehive hairdo), was my fourth grade teacher. Her short stature did not equate with the force of nature that was Mrs. Knote. When asked recently to list the characteristics of someone I admire,...
See people with fresh eyes

See people with fresh eyes

I like to think I do an average job of being mindful. Yet the HBR article, See Colleagues as They Are, Not as They Were, brought me up short. I’m not a grudge-holder by nature, yet I know that I do bring past experiences with people to bear on today’s...
What if you’re wrong…or right?

What if you’re wrong…or right?

You have the most amazing idea, and you’re sure it’s going to revolutionize the organization. But when you present it to the team, people are not enthused. What do you do now? First, and foremost, recognize that you might be wrong. As Kathryn Schulz (a...