Have you ever intersected with an idea that instantly and fundamentally changed how you operate? They are likely few and far between, but I can say with complete certainty that the song “Grudges” by Paramore changed my marriage for the better. In the first verse, singer Hayley Williams poses a couple fascinating questions to someone in her life: “Are you … Read More

I wonder if this might sound familiar to you: I love the idea of delegating until something breaks or things get really stressful. For example, I was recently navigating a particularly difficult circumstance in my printing company and was overwhelmed by the desire to swoop in and just fix all the things.  But swooping in and fixing all the things … Read More

It’s fascinating to me that most of us think we are unique and that our problems are special, but we’re all wrestling with the same handful of issues. Coaching leaders for nearly a decade has really driven home that the names and places change, but the challenges are mostly the same. One of the issues that has vexed almost every … Read More

Some of my favorite people spend most of their workdays in meetings. Meeting after meeting after meeting.  End to end for eternity, with some overlapping meetings thrown into the mix for good measure. Perhaps you can relate. So, when I came across a sign recently that said, “THIS MEETING COULD HAVE BEEN A FISTFIGHT,” I said a quick prayer for … Read More

A Proverb was referenced in church recently that I can’t stop thinking about.(FYI: This essay has nothing to do with religion) Proverbs 3:6 says, “Submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” That last part sounds like something a good leader would prioritize, doesn’t it? And yet, through the years I’ve worked with so many exasperated professionals who … Read More

NASCAR drivers – athletes with the stated purpose of beating all the other racers to the finish line – do the strangest thing during their races: they stop. Instead of pressing forward relentlessly, they take a moment to refuel and swap tires – a pit stop – so they can be most effective in the remaining laps. Driving on worn … Read More

Have you ever seen the master score an orchestra conductor uses?  It is an overwhelming document that contains the music for every instrument in the orchestra and is usually covered in handwritten notes. It’s the conductor’s job to know the inner workings of every part being played and to fully understand how they interact as the piece unfolds. This is … Read More

A few years ago my dad and I built a shed on my property in the west hills of Fairbanks. I got a few quotes from contractors but decided it would be a fun project to tackle with my dad, and I could use the money I’d save to pick up some new tools that would serve me on dozens … Read More

A few years ago I took piano lessons for about 4 months. It changed my life. That might sound sarcastic given the abbreviated amount of time spent, but I’m being quite serious. I ended those lessons because of a scheduling conflict, not because I learned it all in 4 short months, but two simple instructions my teacher used have stuck … Read More

I was convinced for many years that good leaders needed to understand how to alleviate tension. I wasn’t wrong about that, just shortsighted. Turning down the tension IS an essential part of leading a team but, in the same way your car needs a brake pedal AND an accelerator pedal, it’s only half of the equation. Leaders must be conscious … Read More

I’ve been reading a lot of Calvin & Hobbes lately.  A child of the 80’s, I remember enjoying the comic strip as a kid, but reading it as an adult is a completely different experience. That rambunctious kid and his stuffed tiger have a lot of layers. In a strip I read recently, the pair are careening down a hill … Read More

What does “soon” mean? What about “expensive”? Can you tell me with any clarity what “I’ll get right on that” means? Yeah, me neither, because each – and many other words we use every single day – are extremely contextual and based on myriad experiences that are unique to us. We say things like, “I’ll have those numbers for you … Read More

I hope you aren’t waiting around for the day when someone with authority finally rewards you with the title of leader. This is my hope for two reasons: Waiting to finally be rewarded with a stamp of approval is a great way to miss the opportunity to lead today. It’s easy to think of leadership as a destination, but leadership … Read More

I just opened a Christmas present from someone I didn’t know when 2024 began. It may sound strange coming from a 48-year old, but 2024 was great because I made a couple new friends this year. I know some folks who can’t chart a path to their mailbox and back without making a new friend, but that is definitely not … Read More

Derek Jeter ended his career in pinstripes as an iconic Yankee, but it wasn’t because he was the most gifted athlete on the field. In fact, he was famous for arguing that talent wasn’t the true measure of a person’s potential: “There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder … Read More

All growth is on the other side of incompetence. This means that the enemy of growth is an unwillingness to embrace incompetence. In order to do something you can’t currently do – like speak French, bench press 150 pounds, or make it through the day without feeling overwhelmed – you will have to enact behaviors you aren’t currently capable of … Read More