One of the most hilarious and poetically perfect videos on the internet is a clip of 90’s rockers Rage Against The Machine playing live on the BBC.  The clip focus on the ending of their song “Killing In The Name,” which features frontman Zach DeLaRocha sing-screaming “F*** you I won’t do what you tell me” seventeen times on the studio … Read More

I was watching John Wick Chapter 2 the other day and the opening sequence features John laying waste to an army of henchmen in a warehouse. As he is cracking skulls (and being struck by vehicles) below, two crime bosses discuss what makes John so absolutely terrifying: “John Wick is a man of focus, commitment and sheer f***ing will.” Nothing … Read More

If you are like a great many people, you likely just made a list of resolutions or goals for this brand new year. Fantastic! Here’s a way to make that list even more effective: add at least a few things you will STOP doing. It is likely that you won’t realize the resolutions and goals you’ve outlined if you don’t … Read More

When everything seems complicated, which is probably most of the time, consider the problem-solving principle called Occam’s Razor. It can be distilled, roughly, to mean that when all things are equal, the simplest solution is usually the best one. Here’s what the existence of Occam’s Razor – and my experience with dozens of incredibly capable leaders – leads me to … Read More

The idea that you should be further along by now is absolutely distracting you from doing what you need to be doing. You probably can’t fire up your favorite social media site, attend a networking event, or stream your favorite show without being confronted with someone who *appears* to be doing the thing you want at a higher level or … Read More

I know you have high expectations for your boss. You should. I also know that they let you down sometimes. That’s frustrating. The thing that I hope you will remember is while your boss should be expected to operate with a high level of integrity, competence and care, they are also just a person and they are going to screw … Read More

Thanksgiving was a few days ago here in the US and I’m intentionally ringing this bell AFTER the holiday because I want to reinforce that the act of giving thanks should be a consistent practice, not an annual event. Considering the things you are thankful for changes your brain chemistry for the better and elevates your perspective above the immediate … Read More

The Thanksgiving holiday is this week in the US and I’m guessing many of you are gearing up for one or two extra days off. Enjoy! You could probably use the rest. Turn the computer off. Bake a pie. Stop checking your email on your phone. Watch some football. Forget about work for a minute. Read a book. The impact … Read More

I want you to consider something you want. Maybe it is a promotion, an experience, or an object. Do you have something in mind? Okay, now I want you to think about the kind of person who already has that thing. What is different about the way they ACT and the way you ACT? Skip the part about how their … Read More

I used to think it was the role of a leader to diffuse tension. When tempers flared or circumstances became overwhelming, it was the leader’s job to turn down the dial on the tension so that everyone could operate with less stress and frustration. It sounds good on the surface, but sometimes we actually need a leader to turn the … Read More

I was recently at an event that featured a boxed lunch for each participant. Upon opening my lunch I discovered my box contained an objectively horrifying flavor of chips called “jalapeño.” (It might be important to understand that I really don’t like flavor of almost any variety) I told my neighbor that I had an extra bag of chips if … Read More

I was recently talking with a prospective client – who is an incredibly successful professional – and they told me the saddest story about a meeting they once had with their boss. In this meeting, they shared with their leader an aspiration to advance to a specific role in their organization, a revelation that was met with a profoundly inspirational … Read More

There is a black and white photo of me that has been famous in my family for better than 40 years. It features a 3-year old me holding a stick with some fishing line attached to the end (weighted down with a metal nut) over a mud puddle at a camp site somewhere in Alaska. It’s adorable, of course, but … Read More

Imagine yourself at the starting line of a speed skating race. The buzzer sounds to announce the start of the race and you promptly fall on your face. It’s over. Give up. Go home. Right? This was the premise of a video I recently watched on LinkedIn, but as the race unfolded I was fascinated by how the skater in … Read More

As unpopular messages go, this might be the grand slam of unpopular messages. But, if you really want to go further, faster and take your effectiveness to a new level, it’s an important one. Just stick with me for a few more seconds. When there is a project or relationship that just isn’t working, the most effective among us are … Read More