All of us, throughout our lives and careers have worked for and with effective, strong leaders…..as well as those leaders who leave much to be desired. And no, to be clear, just because folks hold a titled position or ‘outrank us’ does NOT make them a ‘leader’. To quote Jeff Immelt, CEO of General Electric:…

We all know change is inevitable and really the only constant in life. We also know that nothing tangible on this planet is permanent. Yet, most of us are challenged when facing change. What we know, and what is familiar, is becoming dismantled. In business, our professional roles at best may be ambiguous, or at…

So here is the gig: now more than ever, baby boomers are losing their jobs to those individuals who are younger, less expensive, and in some cases more relevant than they are. They are smart, experienced, and talented individuals who are finding themselves adrift after giving years of their professional life to a company or…

Have you ever joined an organization – personally or professionally – and realized after a short time, that you just don’t ‘fit in’? Or have you ever joined a company – loved it and the culture – only to have the culture shift so much over time that is it hardly recognizable and it does…

Throughout my life, my parents (and my paternal grandmother, Mema, in particular) have always taught my sister and me to ‘stand tall’. As far back as I can remember, Mema was always putting her finger in between my sister’s and my shoulder blades instructing us to “stand up, sit up….don’t slouch”. When times were tough…

In working with high level clients in Fortune 50 companies to rapidly growing venture-backed companies, it is truth that ‘office politics’ are no myth. They are painfully real and pervasive. In its worst form, I compare office politics to the mean girls from junior high school…..fed by jealousy, insecurity, and competitiveness. And yes, those mean…

We all know that everyone wants to be appreciated – in life and in work. Managers, employees, husbands, wives, children, coaches, players……we all want to be seen, heard, valued, and appreciated. We never outgrow this need – even if we appear to be confident, independent, and successful; the reality is that everyone needs (and wants)…

Recently, I had a colleague tell me a story which hit me square between the eyes. It shed light on a glaring realization and lesson which I feel compelled to offer, and from which we can all learn. Here is the story: His friend, with whom he was in business, betrayed him through omission to…

This weekend I happened to watch a recorded episode of Dan Rather’s ‘The Big Interview’. Dan was interviewing Lindsey Buckingham. For my younger readers, Lindsey Buckingham is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, who is best known as the lead guitarist and one of the vocalists of the musical group Fleetwood Mac from 1975…

In our professional life, and often in our personal life as well, leading by influence is often more important than leading by positional power alone. In fact, in my experience, I was (am) much more inclined to follow those I respect and for which I have an affinity, than those who have the perceived authoritarian…