Category Archives: Uncategorized

Mental Decluttering: A Brain Dump Exercise That Works

Feeling overwhelmed is a universal experience, but finding practical ways to regain clarity and control isn’t always easy. One of my favorite tools for breaking through mental clutter is the “brain dump” exercise—with a powerful twist. This method not only helps you unload your thoughts but also guides you to focus on what truly matters.

An Essential Checklist for Leadership and Self-Deception

Use this checklist to evaluate how well you’re applying the principles of Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute in your daily interactions and leadership style. Reflect on your behaviors and attitudes to uncover patterns of self-deception and take steps to operate “out of the box.” 1. Recognizing Self-Deception 2. Seeing Others as People 3.

An Essential Checklist for Leading on the Line

Leading through adaptive challenges can be one of the toughest tests for a leader. Inspired by Leadership on the Line, With a New Preface: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Change by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, this concise checklist distills the book’s core principles into actionable steps to help you lead with clarity, courage, and resilience. Whether you’re navigating change, addressing conflict, or sustaining your energy, these guidelines will keep you grounded and effective.

Speak Up! Use the 4-Player Model to Find Something Useful to Say

Receiving feedback that you need to “speak up” more in meetings can be both challenging and empowering. It highlights an opportunity to enhance your presence, contribute more effectively, and influence outcomes within your team. One practical framework to guide your engagement is David Kantor’s Four Player Model of team roles. By understanding and adopting these

An Essential Checklist for Difficult Conversations

Alt text: Cover of the book *Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most* by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. The cover features a two-tone design with an off-white upper half and a blue lower half. It includes the subtitle “Third Edition Fully Updated and Revised” in a black circle on the right side, with the Penguin Books logo at the bottom corner.

Inspired by the book Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. We’ve all been in conversations that feel overwhelming, emotional, or downright impossible to navigate. Whether it’s addressing a misunderstanding, offering critical feedback, or discussing sensitive personal matters, these moments can feel daunting. The good news?

Use AI to plan your professional development in a changing world

depicts a futuristic representation of artificial intelligence and human cognition. It shows a human head with a brain visualized as a complex network of circuits or neural pathways, symbolizing the integration of AI and human thought. To the left, the circuits branch out, connected to nodes glowing with purple lights, symbolizing the flow of information. To the right, streams of data seem to be converging into the brain. The background is a starry, cosmic space, suggesting a vast, interconnected universe of knowledge and technology.

In a world where change is the only constant, professionals across industries must stay ahead of evolving trends to remain relevant and competitive. Used well, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be your secret weapon for navigating these changes! In this article I’ll show you how you can use Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity,

What Notes Should I Keep After a Leadership Coaching Session?

The hands of a white man seated at his desk holding a pen and paper notebook with coffee cup in the blurred background and laptop keyboard in the foreground.

If you are in coaching, you should definitely have a notebook handy whenever you attend a session, whether you’re using a paper notebook or something on your computer (if it’s an online session). When you’re done with the session, then, it can be helpful to take notes on a variety of categories, including: These notes

To Craft a Super Squad, Look for These Doers

Imagine you’re gathering your dream team, like building your own superhero squad. What makes your squad stand out? Well, it’s the people in it. They’ve got your back, elevate you, and basically, make you want to be the best version of yourself. Here’s a simple truth: To have an extraordinary squad, you need to be

Testimonials

The people I coach typically show measurable improvement in: And much more! Individual Leadership Coaching While the names and employers for clients in this list are confidential, my clients have included frontline managers, individual contributors, and managers of managers in software, manufacturing, and business services industries as well as government/military and much more. Here is