Effective Accountability Requires 200%
When each party takes responsibility for clarifying expectations, fulfilling agreements and ensuring outcomes, high performance is the natural by product.
One Critical Component to Leading Change
I had two separate experiences with leading change recently that demonstrate one critical aspect that is often the difference between success and failure. Let me share the two scenarios – see if you can guess what it is. Of course, I’ll share it as well. Scenario #1: Recently I was…
Critical First, Comprehensive Later
One day when I was still working in a corporate role during the pandemic, I had a rather unique leadership class experience. I was scheduled to facilitate on a certain topic, but hadn’t actually received the training myself. I had planned to at least complete a preparatory review, but since…
What Socrates Got Right About Engagement & Wellbeing
Wellbeing Wins – 3 min There’s a legend about Socrates that one day a young man approached him asking his help to find knowledge. Socrates took him out to the beach and waded into the water. When they were at shoulder depth, Socrates turned to him and asked, “What was…
4 Questions to Ask BEFORE Initiating a Difficult Conversation
Something happened at work that set off your alarm bells. Maybe you’re a nurse and the physician ordered a drug you believe may trigger an allergic reaction from the patient. Maybe your employee showed up late for the third time this month – and this time it caused you to…
5 Ways to Serve a Stressed Out Team
Stress and resilience have been my most requested leadership topics for over a year now. Just recently, I received another request. (Catch a recent conversation here.) Leaders want to know: how can I lead my team when they’re at a breaking point? And even though they may not say it,…
6 Barriers to Achieving Your Dream Job
One of the highlights of last year was the time I spent hosting a webinar on dream jobs with my brother, U.S. Marine Harrier pilot Capt Cale “Rowdy” Magnuson. The concept of “dream jobs” has always fascinated me, so much so that I dedicated an entire chapter to it in…
All Hands on Deck Leadership
Who’s the real leader around here? It used to be that the leaders were the people in charge. As long as they did a good job, all was well. When they stumbled, the organization suffered until an adequate replacement could be found. That type of leadership doesn’t work any longer.…
4 Critical Skills for Leading People
4 Critical Skills for Leading People – 4 min I’ve been wanting to share these four foundational people leadership skills for quite a while now. In over a decade of working with thousands of leaders, I estimate that 80% of all people leadership challenges come down to one of these…
Overcome Your Fear and Lead
“Never take council of your fears.” That’s a quote attributed to many legendary leaders over the years. They knew what many of us are still discovering – that fear has the power to cower the best of us into making foolish decisions or taking irresponsible actions (or inaction). We all…
6 Questions To Foster Greater Team Resilience
No one has gone untouched in 2020. But it hasn’t just been the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted each person, it’s the repercussions. Work instability, financial hardship, rapid pace of change, family lifestyle adjustments, isolation and loneliness. The stress, anxiety and pressure have reached new levels for many individuals. One…
Leadership Profile: Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes stole my dream job. As a kid growing up in a small Kansas City suburb, I used to dream of playing quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs one day. My brother and I would practice in the backyard for hours year around. But after a championship season as…