Read expert insights on leadership challenges, productivity, and personal growth.

We enter into collaborations assuming we’ll succeed as teamwork partners. Yet we rarely achieve true partnership: Because we listen uniquely and through biased filters we sometimes mistakenly presume intent or misconstrue what’s been said and agreed upon. Problem: Flawed assumptions, wasted time and relationship capital, and restricted scope. There is often not enough diversity to…

This TedTalk video was sent to me by my client John Heard in San Antonio, TX.  John runs an amazing organization called Heard & Smith, a law firm specializing in Social Security Disability Law.  John is a great example of a CEO who leads by principals.  He has great clarity about how important clear, concise,…

As business folk, we hold meetings regularly. Yet often we don’t accomplish what we set out to achieve. Why? The Purpose Meetings are held to accomplish a specific, beneficial outcome requiring the attendance of the right people with the right agenda. The Problem/Pain Often we end up with miscommunication, wasted time, incomplete outcomes, misunderstanding, lack…

You land a meeting with a prospect that you’ve been researching for quite some time.  Then you make the same mistake that most sales people make:  you book an hour-long meeting at her office. What’s wrong with that?  Plenty.  The chances of converting that meeting into a sale are quite slim at this point.  So…

I’m a dancer. When I studied the Argentine Tango there was a foundational rule that I believe is true for all leaders: The leader opens the door for the follower to pass through, and the leader then follows. If anyone notices the leader, he’s not doing his job. The goal is to showcase the follower.…

You can relieve stress, ensure that you make deadlines, and give yourself a greater sense of control simply by following one general rule: Do the things you absolutely HAVE to do as soon as you can do them.  — Or, put another way: Do first the things you must do. To achieve the benefits of…