Prickly discussion topics have been rippling through workplaces since 2020, and today’s leaders are getting plenty of industry advice about how to handle them. Just check out these business journal headlines: “How to moderate the work-from-home debates that are dividing companies nationwide.” “How to facilitate conversations with your team about social unrest and lapses in [...]
While speed and efficiency are necessary leadership traits in our always-on, do-more world, there’s also a point of diminishing returns. If we let agendas and clocks dictate all of our meetings, we could be undermining our own efforts to encourage meaningful collaboration and innovative thinking. Consider the unfortunate impact. Many people are reluctant to speak [...]
I’ve noticed something interesting lately in my conversations with corporate leaders. Naturally, there are a few common themes: increasing demands and endless meetings that suck up valuable work time. (I’m guessing you can relate to that.) But when I ask these leaders how they personally contribute while in meetings, I almost always get an answer [...]
This year, Netflix released a wildly popular new program called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. In the series, Japanese organization expert Marie Kondo visits the clutter-heavy homes of selected American families and helps them tidy up using her now-famous KonMari method. The springboard for this media sensation was Kondo’s worldwide best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic [...]
We can all look back on the choices we made as leaders and think of plenty of things we'd do differently. Hindsight is 20/20, right? That's especially true for me as a leadership speaker, reflecting on my time as an operations executive a decade ago. Now, don't get me wrong: I'm proud of what [...]
I don’t typically write or comment on issues of diversity and inclusion. But an often-overlooked aspect of the topic — cognitive diversity — is starting to come into the spotlight, and I have some insights on it because of the focus of my work. In my experience, I've seen that companies produce the best results and [...]
Many leaders experience setbacks—or even failures. Perhaps they feel like their influence is waning. Their ideas aren’t translating, or their teams aren’t producing at the right level. These leaders might be doing all the right things, but their effectiveness seems diluted. Ever had that feeling? If so, the problem could be leadership blind spots. These [...]
The most successful people almost always exhibit resilience in dealing with life’s curveballs. In this video, Sara shares valuable tips to help you boost your ability to bounce back and remain agile despite adversity. By working to become more resilient, you’ll position yourself as a smart leader who is ready to handle whatever comes your [...]
The formula for career success changes as we work our way up the corporate ladder. The tangible skills and credentials we collected for our resumes become less important. Instead, our success depends on how well we work with and through others. The focus on IQ shifts to EQ: emotional intelligence. Discover how to strengthen your [...]
Certain leaders just seem to have that “Business X Factor”—something that propels them to the top of an organization almost effortlessly. Opportunities emerge. The big interview happens. Doors open. Advancement occurs on a fast track. Some people refer to this intangible, success-attracting quality as executive presence. What is it exactly? And how can you incorporate [...]