Posts by Bonnie Artman Fox
The Family Role You Can’t Escape at Work (And Why That Might Be a Good Thing)
Lee sat across from her boss and felt an oddly familiar feeling. Within ten minutes, her boss had gone from a verbal rampage about an unexpected vendor change to acting as if nothing happened. The team sat silent, waiting for the storm to pass. And that’s when Lee realized: This was exactly like sitting across…
Read MoreWhat If the Conflict at Work Is Actually Teaching You Something You Need to Know?
April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month. This is your invitation to ask: What is this conflict trying to teach me? There’s someone at work who makes your days unbearable. Maybe it’s the colleague who flies off the handle, or the one who withdraws into silence when you need to address a problem, or the person…
Read MoreWhat If the Conflict You’re Avoiding Is Costing You Your Best Ideas?
April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month. This is your invitation to ask: What is my conflict avoidance actually costing me? You’re in a leadership meeting, someone has an idea that challenges the status quo, it’s bold, and maybe even a little outlandish. Your first instinct is to shut it down quickly, and avoid the conflict…
Read MoreThe Leadership Behaviors That Make Your Team Feel Safe Enough to Tell You the Truth
Your team just left the leadership meeting, and you asked if anyone had concerns about the new strategy. Silence. You asked if anyone saw potential problems with the timeline. More silence. You said, “I really want your honest feedback.” Still nothing. Later that afternoon, you overhear two team members in the hallway discussing exactly the…
Read MoreWhy Your Team’s Best Ideas Never Surface During Crisis (And the Brain Science That Changes Everything)
The next time you are faced with a looming deadline or project setback, try one of these counterintuitive strategies to enhance team problem-solving.
Read MoreThe Cost of Staying Silent: What Happens When Abrasive Behavior Goes Unchecked
There’s a moment most leaders know well. You’ve just heard again… that a high-performing employee crossed a line. Maybe they humiliated someone in a meeting. Maybe they snapped at a colleague in front of the team. Maybe the complaints landing on your desk have quietly multiplied over the past several months. And you’ve done what…
Read MoreThe 5 Key Questions To Break Through What Keeps You From Addressing Abrasive Behavior
You know you need to talk to Claudie. You’ve known for months, maybe longer. Another employee came to your office yesterday—the third one this quarter—with the same story. Claudia yelled at them when they asked a simple question, spoke down to them like they were incompetent, and made them feel two inches tall in front…
Read MoreThe Hidden Cost of Waiting “Just One More Quarter” to Address Your Highly Abrasive Leader
The email comes in at 4:47 PM on a Friday. Another resignation, your third this quarter from the same team, and another talented employee who’s “pursuing other opportunities.” You know exactly why they’re leaving. Everyone knows. It’s the same reason as the last two. But in Monday’s leadership meeting, you’ll all nod sympathetically and talk…
Read MoreWhat Your Hot-Headed Leader Wants You to Understand (But Won’t Tell You)
You’ve tried everything. The “let’s talk about your communication style” conversation. The feedback about “managing emotions in the workplace.” The HR mediation. The leadership coaching. But your high-performing, hot-headed leader keeps exploding. The damage spreads, and good employees start looking for the exits. You’re left wondering: Is this person even capable of change? Let me…
Read More6 Ways Your Family Dynamics Show Up In Meetings (And You Don’t Even Know It)
You’ve worked hard to build your professional life. You’ve earned degrees, climbed the ladder, developed expertise, you show up prepared, polished, and ready to lead. What nobody mentions in leadership training was that your family came with you. Not literally, of course. But the dynamics you learned growing up — how to handle conflict, when…
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