Thoughts

You can’t lead well when you’re running on empty. Too many leaders know how to manage time but not how to manage energy. They

Most leaders believe every meeting needs a purpose, a plan, and a packed agenda. But sometimes, the best way to move forward is to

Let’s be honest—there will be people you lead that you simply don’t like. Whatever it is, their attitude rubs you the wrong way. But

Most people plan their day around outcomes: finish the report, reply to emails, make progress on that project. But outcomes are slippery—you can’t control

Many leaders spend most of their time talking to the same people—their direct reports. But leadership insight doesn’t live in those meetings; it lives

Teams talk endlessly about what they need to achieve—but rarely about how they want to work together. Without that, teamwork becomes guesswork. Great teams

Too many leaders still rely on the tired “sandwich method” of feedback: say something nice, slip in the criticism, then end with another nice

Leaders don’t fail because they lack intelligence, vision, or strategy. They stumble because of thoughtless remarks, vague statements, or poorly chosen phrases. Often, we

Too often, leaders and teams leave a meeting with words still hanging in the air but no real commitment. How do you know if

When the stakes are high, leaders don’t fail because of pressure—they fail because their attention scatters. Worrying about outcomes, about what others might think,

If you skip the debrief, you waste half the value of the project. Leaders often push from one task to the next, celebrating success

If you build strategy alone, don’t be surprised if no one follows. Too often, leaders lock themselves away in meeting rooms or strategy sessions,

Busyness is not the same as effectiveness. Long to-do lists and constant responsiveness may feel productive, but they scatter your focus and drain your

In leadership, comparison is a silent thief. It steals your confidence, clouds your judgment, and shifts your focus from leading others to chasing someone

It takes only seconds for people to form an opinion about you. As a leader, every meeting, hallway encounter, and casual conversation becomes part

In leadership, silence is often mistaken for weakness. But what if the opposite is true? What if a leader’s greatest strength is knowing when

In times of uncertainty, the last thing people want to hear from their leader is “I don’t know.” Yes, vulnerability and honesty have their

We’ve all heard it on a plane: “Put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” It’s not selfish—it’s survival. Yet in the workplace,

Leadership isn’t about titles, strategies, or dashboards—it’s about people. It’s listening, coaching, giving feedback, navigating emotions, and showing up when things get messy. If

We love to blame emails, pings, and screens for our lack of focus. But the real source of most distraction isn’t external, it’s internal.

Too often, leaders become messengers of secondhand opinions—”Someone told me you’ve been…” But this kind of feedback is dangerous. It lacks context and invites

We often romanticize success as a series of big moments—promotions, breakthroughs, flashes of brilliance. But the real game-changer is what you do every single

Ever been told how you’re feeling—and immediately felt misunderstood or even offended ? That’s the risk leaders run when they label someone else’s emotions.

Backed by research, it’s a simple yet powerful tool to reduce stress, sharpen focus, and boost self-awareness. More than that, it’s a window into

Too many leaders show up with a to-do list, not a direction. But leadership isn’t just about managing the present—it’s about shaping the future.

When things go wrong, real leaders don’t point fingers—they look in the mirror. In moments of failure or crisis, it’s tempting to ask, “Who

The smartest leaders aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who ask better questions. It’s easy to jump to conclusions, offer quick

Creative leaders are often idea machines. Their minds are constantly scanning, connecting, and generating possibilities. But when every new thought turns into an immediate

Too many leaders hesitate to hold their people accountable, fearing they’ll come across as controlling or overly critical. But accountability isn’t micromanagement—it’s about setting

Too many leaders hesitate to hold their people accountable, fearing they’ll come across as controlling or overly critical. But accountability isn’t micromanagement—it’s about setting

We all love our tribe. The people who “get us,” who see the world the way we do. It feels safe. And it’s deeply

What’s your first instinct when someone gives you feedback ? Do you tense up ? That’s normal. Feedback can feel like a spotlight, and

Whether you’re aware of it or not, people form impressions of you every day. Your leadership brand is what others say about you when

How often do you rush from one meeting to the next, barely pausing to catch your breath? You show up physically, but your mind

We all do it. The moment we form a critical opinion about a colleague, it’s like wearing tinted glasses. Suddenly, every action they take

Too many leaders rely on a single influencing strategy: telling people what to do. But telling isn’t influencing—it’s directing. True influence comes from engagement,

Many leaders—whether new or experienced—make a critical mistake: they focus on doing instead of developing. They believe leadership means setting the pace, solving the

If you’re constantly stepping in to mediate conflicts between team members, you’re not leading—you’re babysitting. Conflict is inevitable in any team. Yet, many leaders

Great leaders know how to zoom out and zoom in. But too often, we get stuck doing just one. Some are so focused on

Let’s be honest—leading a team can be frustrating. You set clear expectations, but results fall short. But here’s the challenge: your frustration has no

Do you think you’re great at multitasking ? Think again. Answering emails while sitting in a meeting, checking messages during a conversation, or juggling

Most team meetings are a waste of time. People leave with vague ideas, unclear priorities, and forgotten tasks. The real problem ? Assumptions. We

Too many professionals believe that showing excitement undermines their authority or makes them appear less composed. Yet the opposite is often true. Your excitement

The word “commitment” is thrown around frequently, but how often does it translate into real action ? There’s a big difference between wanting to

Ever wondered why your most brilliant ideas seem to strike you in the shower ? It’s not just coincidence, it’s science. Warm water and

Ever find yourself stuck in a loop of endless worry, your mind bouncing from one concern to the next ? Runaway thoughts can feel

40,000 years ago, two groups of hunters pursued the same herd of wild horses. The Neanderthals relied on brute strength and individual effort, wielding

Most people have already set their New Year’s resolutions. Have you made yours? The reality is, only 64% of people will still stick to

Tis the season – and we wish each other joy during these festive days. And what about the rest of the year? Let’s keep

Do you have a strong winner mentality ? Be cautious ! A relentless need to win, not just in high-stakes situations, can undermine a

In a world overflowing with choices and demands, it’s easy to feel stretched too thin. We say “yes” to too many things, juggle too

In leadership as in life, unexpected challenges are inevitable. One day, everything is running smoothly; the next, a top performer on your team announces

Great leaders don’t just tell their team members what to improve—they dig deeper to uncover what’s preventing progress. Limiting beliefs, fears, and skill gaps

Have you ever struggled to make your case to top executives or critical clients? It’s easy to overlook just how impactful the finer details

Jason is an emerging leader in charge of a challenging software implementation project. He is set to meet with the customer’s VP of Technology,

Everything around us is the result of teamwork ! The hairdryer we use in the morning, the chair we sit on all day, and

When you have to make important decisions, many voices pop up in your head, pulling you in all sorts of directions. Similarly, when emotions

You’ve overheard some remarks about your new team, and they weren’t very encouraging. While everyone seems friendly at first, you can’t help but wonder

Things can go wrong. That’s why risk managers anticipate potential issues for their organization and develop procedures to deal with them. Think about the

As leaders, we often overlook a simple tool that can make a significant impact—smiling. It may seem trivial, but a genuine smile is a

Do you like talking about your weaknesses ? Most of us are taught to focus on our strengths. But the truth is, our weaknesses

Are you looking for micro-efficiency gains ? Consider how you handle the everyday setbacks that come your way – like a canceled meeting, a

Have you ever been told to step out of your comfort zone ? Chances are, you have ! This usually comes with well-intentioned advice

We overpromise too often ! Each day, we make a lot of commitments. Some are pretty big, like “you’ll get the business”, or “you’ll

Do you ever feel like you’re not creative enough? The growth of our businesses and the solutions to our most pressing problems rely on

Why do conflicts often go wrong ? It’s normal for a team at work to encounter disagreement, whether they are about methods, goals or

Leadership teams discuss culture. It is important ! Does the following concern sound familiar: ‚Our culture is no longer supporting us, we need to

It has been a long day and you come home feeling exhausted. How often have you found yourself venting about the minor or major

Are you fascinated by the athletes competing in the Olympics these days ? Now, think of a major project in your life that you’re

With your team, you have many stakeholders to serve. If you try to be everything to everyone, you may impress no one. It may

Has this ever happened to you ? You want that promotion, that raise, that new title so badly. These desires are legitimate, but the

Ryan comes to his new company with a lot of experience. Things are going well until a critical customer implementation goes awry, due to

It’s summertime. Are you planning your break ? After intense work periods, you need some downtime. When you are exhausted, you lose your calm

Do you ever struggle to make a decision ? Not the big, life- or career-changing ones, but the smaller choices where you have to

Clarity, direction, belonging ? Essentials we all seek – in our personal lives and at work. As a leader, let your people know the

Working in a team can be challenging, especially when faced with setbacks. In these critical moments, emotions can escalate quickly. It is almost instinctive

They meet again after eight years. Steve was Deborah’s boss-boss. After talking for a while, Deborah asks, ‘Do you remember the feedback you gave

How often do you feel stressed at work ? For many of us, stress is a constant companion. This is worrying ! Granted, we

Out of the blue, Mike calls his friend. He goes: “Things have been tough lately. I need your energy.” They chat for not even

It happens. You made a mistake in the heat of the moment. Not a disaster, but you didn’t follow protocol. A colleague of yours

You’re under pressure because you definitely started this important project too late. How could that happen ? It’s understandable, given its size and complexity,

During a performance review, George meets with Jennifer, his department head. While George’s evaluation is positive, Jennifer expected more and becomes emotional, shedding tears.

Your drive and determination have brought your project quite far. But then you encounter an unexpected roadblock, which brings everything to an abrupt halt.

Your plate is already full and now you’re faced with another project. It can be challenging to say no and prioritize your own interests.

What is better: candor or diplomacy? The answer depends on the context, and in truth, both are indispensable for success. Although candor and diplomacy

We all have aspirations we strive for, professionally or privately. Regardless of the objective, understanding your numbers is crucial. It’s not just about the

You are leading other leaders. When you come together as a team, you notice that some individuals engage in turf battles, or try to

One of your direct reports has a plan for their upcoming project. You know it will not work out. You’ve been there, done it.

Ron, a charismatic leader, gathers his team and a few guests for their annual offsite meeting. Among the attendees is Nora, a dynamic leader

It’s the role of a leader to nurture the growth of their team members. Conducting biannual performance reviews is a great practice, not to

Have you ever met somebody in your private or professional life who said ‘I just don’t have that much empathy’ ? Isn’t that a

The situation at work has been persistently challenging for some time. You are experiencing a strained relationship with your boss, or an overwhelming workload,

This is what teams do when they get together, they make decisions. Some of them are rather tactical like the look of the new

It is a good practice for leaders to conduct regular 1-on-1 meetings with their direct reports. The conversation serves the individual’s development, and the

Everything around us is the result of teamwork. The hairdryer we use in the morning, the chair we sit on during the day and

Your day is off to a great start ! You work from a clear action list and focus on the big rocks, the most

Who is in your circle of trust, circle of friends, circle of network partners? The human connection suffered during the pandemic. Today, we spend

We get together at work with a variety of age groups. And their views differ. And they don’t always understand each other. No wonder

We live in a fast-paced world and interact with many others, personally and electronically. As we go through our day, we are making a

We spend so much time in meetings, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like a good investment of time. The reasons are manifold. Sometimes fundamentals

The performance of your new team is mediocre, at best. Too many processes and routines are followed because ‘ we’ve always done it this

This will be a tough conversation ! The contributions of your colleague’s department are just not good enough and it needs to be addressed.

Mile 23 is tough for many marathoners. This is where they ‘hit a wall’, they are physically tired and feel they cannot continue anymore.

You could not settle this conflict. The conversation about your opposing opinions ended when your colleague felt offended and withdraw. This stands now between

Lately, you often woke up at night and couldn’t fall asleep anymore ! You worry about what’s going on, the job that is at

A fine line separates success from failure. It needs accountability to be above the line. To get better, collect comments from your team on

Do you take time to reflect? You live the nonstop life: jumping from one zoom call to another, listening to podcasts while working out,

You feel down.  A series of incidents has bruised your ego. You don’t express it outside, but inside you feel less valuable, less important,

“Help, I need somebody !” Do you sometimes feel like the Beatles when they recorded this song in 1965 ? Because you are stuck

What happens inside of great teams ? Their members jointly believe in the concept of feedback as a fundamental lever to raise individual and

New Year, more meetings ? Our schedules are already plastered with them, avoiding us to execute, reflect and plan properly. If we spend too

On the verge of a new year, we are making plans to achieve our goals and deal with the fast and furious environment around

It has been tense between you and your colleague, and then you clashed. You know you can’t leave it at that. How can you

There is soft background music in the air. We almost don’t notice it, just the way the sound makes us feel, happy or gloomy.

Communication is not simple. We are in business to deliver results. Important meetings with customers or suppliers get thoroughly prepared. You even rehearsed how

We all want to have a motivated workforce. But is that even possible in times of downsizing, resignation and a looming recession ? Small

Some people struggle with the turbulent environment they’re in. We hear them complaining: There is too much chaos, there is too little structure. True,

Your relationship with this colleague of yours has been really good, until something happened. The person that you trusted so much offended you big

Some tasks are much less intriguing than others. We procrastinate or avoid them because they are boring, exhausting or annoying. These tasks will not

When fear gets in our heads, things get murky. We slow down and possibly get stuck. But not always ! Most likely you’ve already

The feedback was clear: “you need to be better organized with your team, otherwise you’ll miss to deliver the much-needed results at the end

Let’s go down the memory lane, on the professional side. Who has been your best boss ever ? You might have worked for this

“How are you ?” A question asked superficially a million times every day. Can we make it bit more meaningful ? Many times, without

It was one of those meetings. You had a great discussion with your colleagues, but two weeks later a lot of what you have

Yup, feedback is an essential tool to develop soft skills. But what if you disagree with the message you get ? You’re feeling unappreciated

Are these really two types of people ? The strategist and the executioner. One sees everything that moves ‘in the game’ the other looks

You have seen people making bold moves. Some quit their job without having the next one lined up, couples continue their marriage after they’ve

Since laptops started to replace the stationary computers, we are telling ourselves that we can work from anywhere. Let’s be honest. How much work

Writing down everything we have to do brings some order to the hustle and bustle of our lives. But at the end of the

You and your colleague are not working well together, you’re very different. You like to think things through, the other is criticizing you for

Group brainstorming is a common practice to generate creative and innovative ideas. But does it really work ? Be honest ! The rule of

The fast-paced environment of your job thrills you. Every day is different. Each comes with a nonstop flow of exciting tasks. People like you

The last encounter with your colleague was difficult. You are not very happy about some of the comments made, the way you were treated.

Despite the great effort you and your team put in this proposal, you didn’t win the business. A little later you hear comments like:

It’s a tiny margin that sets the winner of a golf tournament apart from the rest of the players. To play a great game,

You’re sitting with your peers and your boss in your monthly meeting. It’s again anything but enjoyable. Some of you are fighting over resources,

You’re strong, you are fully committed, and you don’t mind picking up the slack for others. But lately it has been just too much.

Things are not going very well for you at home. Actually, it’s a crisis. And as much as you try to avoid it, it

This is how you are. Organized and structured. In everything you do, you have your ducks in a row. At the same time, you

You don’t care when people don’t respond to your emails and just take it as a NO. You can live with it when people

And then there are people who say ‘I don’t need to be best friends with my colleagues’. What do they try to tell us

You want your people to go above and beyond. You cannot motivate anyone to do anything. But you can create an environment that invites.

There is such an abundance of knowledge, skills and experience in a diverse team. But it is of no value, if it is hidden

We all have career dreams. We imagine what to do at the pinnacle of our professional life and how it feels. The people you

Teams are the engines that drive successful organizations! But some of them seem to have forgotten for what they have been commissioned by their

You are with your kids, physically. But your mind is still pondering over your action list. Sounds familiar? It almost always takes us longer

Circumstances require you to respond quickly. Your boss is acting without delays, expecting your answers more or less immediately. Meetings with colleagues take unexpected

Have you ever seen cyclists riding as a team? They go in a paceline with the one in front taking the headwinds. After a

You haven’t spoken with her for a long time, you haven’t heard from him forever. They were your companions! You used to spend a

Today’s teams are more at risk to find themselves divided into subgroups because they are dispersed, diverse and digital. They can easily waste energy

When you come to Mallory Square in Key West a couple of hours before sunset, you can get amused by jugglers, fire eaters, escape

The environment you live and work in influences your performance; your office, your colleagues, the global economy. We can improve our performance by making

How do athletes achieve the highest levels of performance in their type of sports? They exercise until they are exhausted. And then they take

You have this exam, this interview, this customer meeting coming up. And for whatever reason disbeliefs are creeping in. It starts with ‘I should

Some of us have a difficult boss. Some are all over you, others are unapproachable. They can be impatient or disorganized. Nothing will change

The increased work from home came certainly with some challenges. However, it also opened up new opportunities to harmonize our private and work life.

Bronnie Ware has been a palliative nurse in Australia. Being grateful for the brief relationship with her patients she started to journal her conversations

Companies hire risk managers to develop procedures around what could possibly go wrong. They then teach us the steps to handle critical situations. We

A year comes to a close that some of us started with really high hopes. We wanted to enter a new normal which brings

You made a mistake and you don’t feel very good about it. Then somebody else makes critical comments about your performance. Now you feel

What problems are bothering you? Take a quick break and look around you. How do those people that are more successful than others deal

This meeting happens for a reason. Maybe some of the participants learn from the others or the team wants to realign their project. During

Communication is fundamental to collaborate and to succeed with our teams. It seems so basic and then often becomes such a complex undertaking. Any

The meeting with your colleagues is coming up. Next week, you’ll speak about the new market approach. The topic is controversial and in the

You worked so hard, but you don’t get this business off the ground. You approached new customers in various ways, you talked to so

Your colleague comes frequently to you asking for updates, you think she is aggressive. Another teammate is very silent, you think he doesn’t care.

You could have done that better. You missed the deadline to deliver what you promised and even forgot to let your customer know about

It has been a great meeting with your customer, now your team has to follow up. You explain succinctly the actions you expect everybody

A lot of things are going on in teams that serve them to raise their level of performance: failures, conflicts, non-productive behaviors. The more

The situation at work is significantly different than it has been just a few weeks ago. You could have seen that coming, you could

Where there are teams, there are conflicts. We need conflicts. They are opportunities to improve our collaboration and they can lead to better solutions.

When we are in our comfort zone things are familiar and we are at ease. Why should you leave this place that typically treats

You were so certain that you announced boastfully something like “your job is safe”, or “you’re the next sales director”, or “we will fix

You need some quiet time to finalize this important piece of work.  And then in the middle of it you have a craving, tend

Your business runs like a well-oiled machine, the numbers are looking great. Everything seems so easy, you’re thrilled. Enjoy this wonderful experience and keep

When you need to make important decisions, a lot of voices pop up in your head, pulling you in all sorts of directions. Same

The writing was on the wall for quite some time, it just took you a while to see it ‘This job is not right

We hear these words so often from so many people ‘I am stressed’, usually expressed with a tone of despair. Stress does not have

Let’s look at the people you work with on your team. There is Andy, he is such a creative mind. Constantly coming up with

According to the movie ‘The Bucket List,’ the gods are asking the recently deceased two questions, one of them is ‘have you found joy

Many people feel they have too much to do. When you then see them working, you find them in the middle of one thing

Team members find great solutions by exchanging their opposing views and opinions. But then, the decision-making can become cumbersome and frustrating, in particular when

When a team is not functioning very well the expectations are high on the new leader coming in. What is your approach to stepping

When you end your workday, you somehow feel positive about your performance – or not. How do you make these kinds of judgments? Some

Who are you? Working for company X. The director of Y. You are more than that! The loving mother, father, daughter, son. The individual

How do you make the big decisions in your professional and private life? You put together a business plan and compare the pros and

You know how your future business should look like. The execution of your strategy is off to a great start but then something doesn’t

Your last project has been pretty rough at the end. Deadlines were missed, your boss was disappointed, and you burned more than once the

Often staff members feel they don’t know enough about their company’s direction even if senior leaders share fundamental information. Have you ever thought about

The relationships you have with the people directly reporting to you are essential for your success as a team. Don’t miss the opportunity to

You like your job and you’re really good at it. Your colleagues frequently ask you for help. They struggle with their workload and you

You work with your team to delivers results. You enjoy your achievements! But what happens when things go wrong? Look at yourself, you’re accountable!

There is so much going on, times are crazy! Are you caught up in busyness, constantly in action mode? Are there too many emergencies

Go back to any major project in your life that you’re really proud of. Skim through it. Were there any big events that made

This particular situation didn’t turn out very well, your colleague could have handled it much better. You have some good points for improvement and

Even though you could free up time for yourself, you are reluctant to delegate work to your people. Nobody can do it as you.

You’re the ‘new kid on the block’, joined your team just a while ago. You tried to connect with your new colleagues, but some

You are excited about the assignment given to you, at the same time you struggle with your role as leader of indirect reports. You’re

In the ‘old days’ we used to have defined work schedules. Nowadays laptops, cell phones, a global community, and work from homemade us non-stop

You are a subject matter expert, a real authority in your field. Your boss asks you frequently to advise colleagues, help them to find

Whether you like Rocky or not, the story behind this movie is definitely remarkable. Sylvester Stallone had himself as the main actor in mind

You are committed, you want to do an excellent job. At the same time, you are worried that something could go wrong. You don’t

The discussion with your team is going in the wrong direction. Slowly but surely you’re getting annoyed. You try to through in a few

Finally, you were able to escape your daily grind. You used the downtime to develop plans for your professional and personal future. Create an

Tis the season – and we wish each other joy these days. And what about the rest of the year? Let’s keep that holiday

Shortly after you have said or done something, you realize that you made a mistake. You think you have offended others, you have left

The responsibilities in your team are clearly distributed and the standards are well defined. You give immediate feedback when things go wrong, it’s short

Marathoners know that everything gets harder after mile 18 when fatigue kicks in. They have their countermeasures, carbs, and water. But there is something

Our world flipped this year. Most of us were in denial first and then in resistance. Many complaints were made about the restrictions and

You don’t only see them in the movies, they also appear in our everyday life, superwoman and superman. They have better results, and they

Teams can get off track to a point where no constructive dialog is taking place anymore and clashes between team members are almost the

You have prepared a fun activity to begin your next team meeting with, afterwards you will step in a deep strategic discussion that needs

Imagine you’re in the middle of a wild jungle, left to your own devices. The only person with you is somebody you have a

Teams come together with their goal in mind, they are expected to deliver results. What happens when something is going wrong for your team?

We know our big-ticket projects, they are right in front of us and still – we don’t even start working on them. The difficult

Somebody is putting pressure on you, treating you unfairly, requesting the impossible from you. You feel beaten, remorseful, or just helpless. You don’t have

When people feel a sense of purpose, they engage with one another. Help your team to stay connected by creating a powerful statement.When people

Your team and you have different opinions about some important points. You want an open exchange of contradicting views to come to a consensus.

Your team has screwed up, the impact on your customer is severe. The stakes are high and the emotions run wild. You have to

You run into people all day long, individually or jointly, in person or in calls. And more often than not you make promises. Some

Many of us are chasing through the day. Our agenda is tied, calls and meetings are scheduled back-to-back. There is really no time to

All teams aim to achieve something, tough some are much more successful than others. What is it? Just find the super-stars and let them

You have been around for quite some time, you know your stuff, and yet – you have your blind spots. Those are important aspect

The success of your team depends on a united effort towards the common goal. As a leader, you cannot force your team members to

As leaders we have to deal with disappointment, sadness and sometimes even tears of our people. The promotion that didn’t happen, the mediocre performance

True leaders support individual growth. Providing feedback is an essential competence, it helps others to improve their performance. However, many struggles and shy away

We like to work with humble people! Those that have their own interest at the top of their list are just no good team

Is your job steady and uneventful? Most likely not! What are the incidents that are decisive for your success? The presentation to the ‘big

Ultimately all decisions are emotional, also in business! Of course, first, we collect all the pertinent facts and rational arguments to find our best

If you don’t allocate most of your time to your big goals you will fail to achieve them. Many of us are very busy,

Telling your people what to do simply doesn’t work. In the best case, you might get compliance, but you’ll never get engagement. Make your

The situation is critical, your team has to make a couple of important decisions, you need to act soon. Your boss presents the plan.

Now is the time to discuss with your colleagues’ new concepts of work. Most of us experienced high levels of flexibility and humanity over

We live in a complex world. You work in a team to solve complex problems and at times dealing with your peers can also

It is tough and it is part of their role, leaders have to get in front of their people and deliver bad news. It’s

As a leader you are in the spotlight, in good times and even more in bad times. Your people are observing you, every single

Some things get clearer in a crisis. Our individual preferences to communicate for instance. Some of your people need frequent human interaction, they thrive

Not only now, but at any time our jobs present us with all sorts of problems to work on. This is when we generally

The last weeks have been tough. A lot of hard work lies behind you. How do you feel? Exhausted? Tired? Give yourself some rest.

Our days are unpredictable, they are full of surprises and we’re driven by the circumstances. Where do you go? Use your daily action list

The last weeks have created a lot of stress for many of us. Some are worried about their health, some are scared of financial

The way we work with our team is not as it has been before. Working from home is the new reality for most of

We are in crisis mode! It is a leadership moment. You need to make decisions without knowing how the business will look like in

These are challenging times, things are changing on a daily basis! The uncertainty is scary, we are afraid of losing. Your immediate goals might

We all like to win, it feels really good. Losing doesn’t feel so good. In a sales role, we are expected to go out

Execution is your game and you’re going 100 miles per hour. This gave you a good reputation and your performance reviews confirmed your value

You know your objective. It’s challenging and you’re scared if you’ll be able to make it. This next presentation, a new project, an upcoming

There is a lot on your plate, you feel exhausted and tired. You think about quitting your job and looking for a better one.

Your team goes through some tough times. Cost-cutting, restructuring, downsizing took a toll. The moral is down and faith in the joint mission is

Your team is already busy with a lot of things when the next project lands on your desk. Can you give your people more

You have a pretty big-ticket to address. The discussion with your team goes well, you see everybody nodding. Great piece of work – you

You have all systems in place, processes have been thoroughly designed and carefully implemented. However, business results are below expectations. Chances are, that it

Busy times seduce us to do different things at the same time. Sending emails during a meeting, following a live chat while working on

You want to fill this opening quickly. You already interviewed a couple of candidates, however, none of them was a complete match. Don’t compromise

You screwed up and disappointed those around you who clearly saw what happened. One way to deal with it is to cover up the

You managed to work less hours, achieved what is commonly called work-life-balance. But you still don’t feel at ease. There are too many to-dos

You just stepped into your new leadership role. What is your plan for the first 100 days? What worked before is not necessarily the

Are you paying attention to the mental chat that’s constantly going on in your head? What are you saying to yourself when things go

Your team is going through difficult times. Things have gone smoothly for quite a while, but now you have to deal with severe setbacks.

You meet a new colleague. She is somehow different than the others you work with. You are not used to his kind of comments

You want to enter this new business segment. A bit later you meet this enthusiastic lady, let her know about your intentions. She introduces

You have all sorted out, you got your ducks in a row and you’re marching smoothly forward. This is great! Unfortunately, this is not

The vision for your team has been aligned and it has been communicated. The direction is crystal clear. What is next for you as

You’re doing your job already for a while and you ask yourself what’s next. Or you like what you do but you think it’s

For the first time, you meet a new colleague of yours. You listen to his story, but he has an awkward way to express

Teams come together to generate results. Period. But teams eventually fail to perform when distrust, finger-pointing, and blame creeps in. Take a break and

What is the culture of your organization? You cannot have NO culture! Most likely you have the company values displayed somehow openly in the

There are so many emails sent out every day. And we all invest a lot of time in it. Sometimes only because it makes

It happens all too often. We’re dealing with mediocre performance or imperfect processes until we have enough or see a better solution. We then

We all are born with the capability to listen. It helps us to learn a lot of things while we grow up. But then

You’re working on this project for quite some time. You still find things to do, even though the deadline has already passed. What are

Let’s face it, it’s human nature to look for safety. Your team is not different. They know that there is danger around them, but

Our strengths are also our weaknesses! If you are great at focusing on tasks, you might not show enough flexibility when it’s needed. If

To know your important goals doesn’t get you there. A full-hearted commitment is necessary to achieve them. However, when reality gets tougher than expected,

You made your expectations very clear when you briefed your team. But then for whatever reason, they fail miserably to deliver the promised results.

It happens, things go wrong. How do you react when you’re unexpectedly in a traffic jam? See it as a problem: I’ll be late

Without any doubt, recognition and appreciation strengthen our self-confidence, it gives us extra energy. Nevertheless, don’t take it too far. Don’t try to be

Are you planning a bigger change for your team? Is it a restructuring? Are people impacted? What do they know yet? True leaders are

You’re doing a good job. But you want to bring your ‘game’ to the next level, want to do even better. Help yourself and

We’re all looking for high levels of employee engagement as they only breed winners. However, it can be pretty hard to get there. Have

Teams come together to make decisions. What do you do when the time has come and you still disagree or have serious doubts? Let

Every day we step into new circumstances of our professional and private lives. We then tend to judge quickly by looking through the lenses

You work with very qualified people but it seems that all eyes are always on you when it is about to scale up the

You assembled a great team and you’re making headway together. Then, surprisingly your ‘best player’ is letting you know about an attractive job opportunity

As we walk through our lives, we are getting to know better the person that we are. Every day is full of clues about

No doubt, we need strong interactions with others to drive our business results. But have you ever thought about the quality of your relationships

In situations of change or whenever we face adversity, we have two possible perspectives. We can see the obstacle right in front of us

We all feel overwhelmed from time to time. Our full attention is requested in each of our roles – as a boss, colleague, family

Did you have an argument with somebody else lately? Are you still holding a grudge against that person? Then it is likely that the

Trust is a key element of effective collaboration. But how can leaders establish a trusting environment? We can’t force anybody to trust us. It’s

Leaders know the risks along their way, the danger that is out there. They are not scared, make sure that their people are protected,

You are fully prepared for your meeting, your objective is clear, all the arguments lined up. Then, halfway into your negotiations, you realize that

You have a lot going on and you feel the weight on your shoulders. You are slowing down, you are just tired. You think

Communication matters! Teams of all kinds see it as a key factor for their success, at the same time many of them think they

We run into them in meetings, at the airport, on the phone: angry and unhappy people. They quickly start to poison their conversation with

Many organizations survey the engagement of their workforce. When the numbers are low leadership has to improve. It’s hard to manage employee engagement as

We all have our bad moments every now and then and sometimes it takes a while to deal with negative events in our lives.

They are around you, people in your network or in public who you look up to, who you think are simply outstanding. How about

Teams are created that people can work together and solve a pressing problem or achieve an important task which would not be possible for

There are two voices in our heads constantly talking to us. The ‘strategic You’ holds your vision, knows your direction, does all your planning.

It is much harder to deal with change when we’re not in control when it is forced on us. What can we do? Always

Great leaders create an environment of safety for their team. This is where creativity flourishes, new ideas are shared and people bring their full

As leaders, we are responsible for the performance of our team. While influencing everybody to deliver the expected results we run into all sorts

You work on the strategy to achieve your next big goal. All cards are widely spread on the table and the way to go

You know your stuff very well and you are eager to help others with your advice. How are your experiences? Some people are not

Conflicts are common, people have different views and opinions about something, but they need to find an agreement to jointly move forward. Conflicts are

Leadership is about bringing together people to make something extraordinary happen. It is not a formal position or a title, it is competence. We

If you could invite seven people, living or not to an imaginary dinner party, who would you choose? What is the one quality or

Things are working well, very well. Everything seems so easy and you’re going at a high pace. But then when you begin to face

Be honest, when did you complain the last time about something that happened to you? What was the outcome? Most likely nobody really enjoyed

As leaders, we delegate tasks and projects to our team members. But it requires people to be competent and committed to doing the job.

Where trust is around great teamwork can arise. People in an atmosphere of trust admit their own weaknesses, help each other, and are more

You have come a long way since you started your professional career. Countless small steps helped you to become who you are today. Take

At times we struggle to make the right steps towards our bigger goals. All kinds of obstacles come to our minds. But with our

We all know this situation: somebody makes a comment which criticizes us directly or indirectly. What do we typically do? We get upset, jump

Sometimes we stop growing and just remain where we feel comfortable. We might not realize it right away, but very often in those situations,

You spend in your job not only mental energy but also a lot of emotional energy. Think about the toll it takes to make

One very compelling reason for teams to meet is to make decisions. But very often the rules how to go about it are not

What is your next strategic initiative about? Gaining new clients, stepping up the quality of service, introducing innovative products, implementing new technologies? Whatever it

You know how you work and how you want to communicate with others. But do the people you lead also know? Take just a

It can happen so quickly when the stakes are high. A heated discussion emerges because your opinions diverge from those of your colleagues. Don’t

It is a good leadership practice to give constructive feedback. What are we typically trying to achieve? We want others to do something different

We all have been there. We get feedback, we gain new insight and we realize that we need to change a certain behavior of

You’ve achieved quite a lot by working hard and having high personal standards. However, are you at the same time also ruminating too much

We are all very busy in our business lives, often too busy. Do you suffer from an overload of work? You might actually do

Leadership is a people business! Nobody else has more impact on your people’s engagement than you do, nobody else has more influence on their

We all have been in those situations, where we seriously doubted to finish the project we’ve committed to. Everything seems to go against us.

There are these moments that clearly mark a step in our personal or professional development. Which ones were your most recent, which the most

It is fun to work with teams of highly motivated people. But it needs more than that. Teams need to bring the horsepower on

We love to compete in sports, it feels so good to win! But it’s also hard to see the sad faces of those who

We get a lot of feedback, some is more formal other more casual and unsolicited. Positive feedback feels good but what if it is

Great leaders develop their employees, help them to see and reach their true potential. It’s all about your people! When they fail, give them

Why are some of us very successful in achieving our goals and others struggle and give up on their way too often? The attraction

We all fail from time to time. How do you take it? Are you getting stuck in the past, criticizing yourself worse than anybody

It is so very common! People judge you after only a few seconds by the way you look, you talk, you act. Are you

What direction are you heading in the various aspects of your life? Follow your own goals, don’t live a life that others have designed

We all have excellence in us, our unique talents allow us to perform certain activities easily. But very often we struggle to see those

Cohesive teams work from a strong set of values and core principles. It is a great practice to make them visible in presentations or

Stress is all around us. A lot of us deal with it constantly, suffer from it, complain about it. Have you ever thought that

You are not progressing, can’t find a proper solution to your problem? Too often we are shying away from asking for help because we

You are eager to go the extra mile and exceed the expectations of others? Great! But then there is in almost every project this

As a leader, you have two very different roles to play when you meet with your peers and the leader you all report to.

You work with a fantastic team and then it happens: they don’t perform as you expected, they fall back into old, less productive habits

In a performance review, line managers rate the efforts of their employees against more or less defined criteria, share their views of what worked

How was the last performance review with one of your people? Have you been in a rush, did you talk business only?  Take the

How is your day so far, how was yesterday? What are the highlights and lowlights that you still remember? Very often we pay more

Is the purpose of your role clearly defined? How do you serve it? If your job becomes a patchwork of various tasks and you

We all fail from time to time and can learn from it. What did you take away from your biggest failures? How deep did

You sent your people off to work on some challenging tasks, they left your conversation excited. Do you know where they are now? What

We make a lot of promises – every single day. There are the big ones like “you’ll get the business”, “you’ll be promoted” which

What if you get constructive feedback from others on your behavior and it doesn’t surprise you? A relief? Maybe not so much. If you

Have you ever been part of a team that couldn’t come to conclusions and kept arguing their individual perspectives for too long? Highly effective

It’s good to be active, constantly improve, and drive things forward. But there are limitations. We all will be confronted with situations that we

A strong leader guides a team to collective success. But what, if everything is dependent on this one powerful head, his ideas, her decisions?

Leadership is fundamentally about facilitating the performance of others. How do you approach your team meetings or the 1-on-1’s with your direct reports after

Do you look for new solutions? Do you want to innovate a product or a process? There is enough creativity in all of us,

Have you ever thought about how the best version of yourself would look like? What is the footprint you want to leave behind? Schedule

Are you aware of your routines? They eliminate the thinking from any activity you perform frequently. Find once the perfect answer to questions like

What did your team achieve in the last days? How was it recognized by all others? Think about how football players cheer after a

You know exactly what you want to achieve today, this week, and this month. But do you also have a plan for it? We

Maybe the simplest way to improve employee engagement is to really acknowledge the efforts of your people. Respond not only to their big achievements

To how many meetings have you been last week? How often did you feel engaged? Team meetings, regardless of whether virtual or in-person are

So many people feel stressed, they claim that there are so many things going on in their life. And indeed, modern technology makes it

Isn’t it interesting, for every halfway decent production line we thoroughly plan the output by carefully weighing the available capacity and necessary changeover time

We all have something that is so important for us, that we just want to excel in it. Self-reflection allows us to improve. But

Successful teams work with a great mix of people. They contribute with different skills and talents to the whole so that it gets greater

It’s great to get a paycheck, but all of us also want to find meaning in the work we do. Ultimately, we’re looking for

Hurricane Irma has been devastating for many people in the Caribbean and Florida. Even in the safest place uncertainty and fear could easily creep

As managers we are busy to keep our business going, to solve problems, and sometimes to fight fires. It is about structure, processes, and

How will you start your workday tomorrow? Killing a bunch of emails? Jumping on the most urgent requests? Fight through a long list of

You have a goal, you have a plan, you go for it – but then you get stuck. Your people don’t embrace the new

What kept you busy last week? Most likely you served a lot of groups, your team at work, your customers, your manager, your stakeholders,

Which emotions did you experience lately? We have them all the time, very often not even consciously recognized. But those negative emotions like anger,

Effective teamwork starts with trust amongst the various individuals one-on-one. It is nothing that can be forced on them, however, great leaders give their

Isn’t it great to get paid a decent salary for the job we’re doing? Well, without it, we would not be able to pay

How was your last team meeting? Was the outcome worth the time spent? Most likely it wasn’t if it hasn’t been interactive and the

We are all different and have our individual preferences to communicate. Be interested in others and understand their style of communication. When you adopt

Do you also believe that time is flying? The wheel of life is turning ever faster? Why don’t you work against this trend? What

Be serious, do you really like your current job? Or is there may be too little of this, too much of that? Sometimes we

Does this sound familiar: you attend a meeting, you interact perfectly with your peers, you’re making ambitious plans, you assign tasks – and then

As soon as a group of people works towards a common goal it becomes a team. But in most cases, by just pulling the

Sometimes our schedule gets overwhelming. In our professional and private roles, we have obligations and we’re making permanent commitments, some very small, some really

We meet new people every day, in our business and private lives. Are you interest in them? How do you connect? What do you

Teams can achieve ambitious goals when they establish strong connections among each other when everybody contributes and the whole is greater than the sum

We all had this situation before: everything is going smooth, exactly according to plan until suddenly an accident happens. Some are really bad but

We all have unique talents that make us very special. However, sometimes people get into jobs that don’t play to their talents and they

We all work with various business partners and stakeholders. Sometimes we run into conflicts with them and progress slows down or becomes even impossible.

We all want to live a happy life, also at work. Nevertheless, statistics show that average levels of employee engagement are fairly low in

Emotions are a big part of our lives, also in business! As much as we enjoy positive emotions, feel joyous, admired when we reach

Performance reviews are a common practice to develop talent. But too often too much time is spent on the review itself, the correct evaluation

Brands distinguish one product from another. As leaders, we have a brand too. It’s built on people’s perception of us, not on our intentions.

Modern communication technique is both, a blessing and a curse. What urges us to stay tuned and constantly respond to the never-ending flow of

Business is built on relationships. But what if there is no good relationship with somebody? Too often we miss the opportunity to make a

The human fight for freedom has a long history. Professionals of all generations across all hierarchies have similar desires. Great leaders offer their people

Success starts in your head. Every day you deal with some setbacks while following your goals. It’s your choice to acknowledge yourself for all