The CIO of a large manufacturing company was frustrated, exhausted, and feeling rather unappreciated. He and his 1500-person organization had overseen a complicated, multi-year technology transfer and integration resulting from the company’s largest acquisition in its history. Add to the mix an ongoing digital transformation and the day-to-day responsibilities that come with keeping the lights on, […]

Here’s something companies can do right now that would have a significant, powerful, and positive impact:  Have fewer, better meetings.  More than any other corporate initiative, push for growth, or effort to reduce costs, there’s nothing that can have a more immediate impact on performance and productivity than fixing meetings.   If this seems too […]

Here’s something companies can do right now that would have a significant, powerful, and positive impact:  Have fewer, better meetings.  More than any other corporate initiative, push for growth, or effort to reduce costs, there’s nothing that can have a more immediate impact on performance and productivity than fixing meetings.   If this seems too […]

A CEO client was describing an initiative at his company that encouraged employees to bring their whole selves to work. I asked him to elaborate: What does this look like, in practice? He was silent and finally said, “I’ll need to think about that.” Shifting gears, I asked, “Well, tell me what you personally would do to demonstrate this.” Again, […]

Is it time to give your company culture an overhaul? If we define company culture as “the way things are done around here,” it’s no surprise that companies are carefully considering what aspects of their culture warrant change given the impact of COVID, the recent social justice movement, the changing marketplace, and the shifting needs of […]

Is it time to give your company culture an overhaul? If we define company culture as “the way things are done around here,” it’s no surprise that companies are carefully considering what aspects of their culture warrant change given the impact of COVID, the recent social justice movement, the changing marketplace, and the shifting needs of […]

A CFO client and I were discussing a question he was exploring with his team: What does the optimal corporate structure look like for the business? Not surprisingly, it was prompted in part by the swift and severe impact of Covid on his company, and as a result, they were exploring options to take out more cost […]

I once attended a meeting where the featured speaker – an expert in his field – told the audience that he hadn’t prepared for the presentation he was in the process of delivering. In fact, he never prepares for his clients, he added (rather gleefully, it seemed). As paying members of the audience, it was an […]

I once attended a meeting where the featured speaker – an expert in his field – told the audience that he hadn’t prepared for the presentation he was in the process of delivering. In fact, he never prepares for his clients, he added (rather gleefully, it seemed). As paying members of the audience, it was an […]

If you want to be credible to a CEO, act like a peer.  What does it mean to act like a peer? It’s the way you show up and lead that says, “I understand my purpose, my value and my contribution. I know what I’m talking about and I’m confident I can do this.” It is also a […]

Remember the old saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? In my work with senior leaders, it’s more like “It’s not what you know, it’s how you communicate the substance of what you know.” In fact, one of the biggest frustrations clients voice is how poorly their teams, external partners, and even their […]

Remember the old saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? In my work with senior leaders, it’s more like “It’s not what you know, it’s how you communicate the substance of what you know.” In fact, one of the biggest frustrations clients voice is how poorly their teams, external partners, and even their […]

If you’re like many of my clients, you’re laser focused on the strategies and plans that will deliver a strong Q4 for your organization. With the first half of the year in the rear view mirror, now is the right time to identify those ‘above and beyond’ elements that will enable you to lean in and […]

Without exception, every senior leader I work with wants the same thing: A strong team surrounding them. That’s no surprise. No CEO or leader alone can make a company successful. They know the work of their organizations only gets achieved through teams, as I wrote about in a recent piece, and why they want to overcome the challenges […]

Without exception, every senior leader I work with wants the same thing: A strong team surrounding them. That’s no surprise. No CEO or leader alone can make a company successful. They know the work of their organizations only gets achieved through teams, as I wrote about in a recent piece, and why they want to overcome the challenges […]