Blog
Choose a Team Rallying Cry: How One Powerful Phrase Can Transform Your Team in 2026
What is your team’s focus for 2026? Many teams enter a new year with good intentions but without a clear sense of direction that creates a shared purpose. This turns into misalignment, conflicting priorities, and tensions that drain energy and productivity. Team members end up operating in silos rather than moving together toward a common…
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How Self-Aware Leaders Turn Feedback Into Their Greatest Strength
“No one wants to tell me anything. They say I’m intimidating.” I’ve heard this from more leaders than I can count. And when I sit down with their teams, the employees tell me the same thing: “We don’t feel safe bringing up problems. Our ideas get dismissed. The leader gets defensive and condescending.” So I…
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The 3 C’s of Difficult Conversations: How to Stay Grounded When the Conversation Gets Tough
As a leader, Ben knew he needed to address Bob’s abrasive behavior. Bob had a pattern of dismissing colleagues’ ideas in meetings, sending curt emails that left people feeling belittled, and making sarcastic comments that created tension across the team. Ben found every reason to avoid the conversation. He anticipated Bob being defensive. He worried…
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Choose Your Mindset Before Addressing Employee Behavior: An Emotional Intelligence Approach
Before having a candid conversation with a difficult employee, choose your mindset to optimize the likelihood of a positive outcome.
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7 Ways to Be a Terrible Boss (And Why You Should Do the Opposite)
A fun guide to leadership fails, and how to turn them around. Ever wonder what separates great leaders from the ones employees complain about around the water cooler? Sometimes it’s easier to spot what not to do than to figure out the right approach. So let’s have some fun with it. Here’s a list of…
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How Leaders Turn Conflict Into Growth
Leadership isn’t just about strategy, performance metrics, or vision casting. At its core, leadership is about people. And where there are people, conflict is inevitable. Even the strongest leaders find themselves caught off guard: If you’ve ever been there, you’re not alone. These challenges are part of the real-world side of leadership that no business…
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How to Deal with Employee Resistance to Change
The company faced a new rollout. Employees learned a new computer system and it changed the daily workflow. The manager got frustrated with employees who complained about the changes and didn’t appreciate how the system boosted the company’s efficiency and long-term competitive advantage. When your employees resist change, it has a negative impact on work…
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How to Lead with Empathy When an Employee Is Difficult to Like
“It’s hard to stay calm when an employee is condescending.”“Some team members are just… harder to like.”“I know I should respond professionally, but the way they speak to me makes it tough not to react.” If you’ve had these thoughts, you’re not alone. Even though you’re a leader and have the responsibility to model professional…
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How to Stay Calm and Set the Tone for Your Work Culture
Whether you’re leading a team meeting, navigating conflict with a colleague, or facing resistance from a stakeholder, how you respond in moments of tension sets the emotional tone for your entire work culture. Leadership presence isn’t about being the loudest in the room. It’s about composure under pressure. And few skills are more essential for…
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Trusting Your Gut at Work: What It’s Really Telling You
Have you ever had a quiet inner nudge that something just isn’t right at work? A gut feeling you can’t explain, but you can’t ignore either? That inner voice is worth listening to. Especially when you’re working in a toxic environment, it can be hard to separate what’s actually happening from what’s been normalized. This…
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