When trust is intact, conflict becomes possible. Not the destructive kind — the kind most people fear — but the productive kind. The kind where people speak honestly, challenge ideas, and stay engaged even when they disagree — why? Because you’ve built a culture of...

If you’re serious about ownership and responsibility, rules will eventually be broken. That’s not a failure of leadership. It’s a reality of working with human beings. Even in teams with clear expectations, strong relationships, and shared goals, someone will...

This time of year comes with a quiet pressure to perform. The perfect gathering. The perfect mood. The perfect version of ourselves — patient, grateful, present, and somehow untouched by exhaustion or disappointment. Most of us know better. And yet, every December, we...

There’s a common misconception about ownership: that it’s all about action, independence, and not asking for help. Get the thing done. Move it forward. Check the box. But ownership isn’t just doing — it’s stewarding. It’s understanding how your choices affect everyone...

We love the idea of our teams taking ownership. It sounds empowering. It signals maturity and initiative. We tell people — employees, colleagues, partners, even kids — that we want them to “own” something: a project, a task, an outcome.  But here’s the tension: you...

This time of year has a way of amplifying whatever we’re already carrying. For some, the holidays bring joy and connection. For others, they stir up old family dynamics, unspoken expectations, grief that sneaks in quietly, or stress that’s been building all year. And...

Leadership isn’t just about decisions — it’s about awareness. Often, the way we react in the moment shapes more than the outcome of a meeting; it shapes trust, team dynamics, and long-term engagement. I’ve noticed in my coaching that many leaders operate from a place...

At the beginning of this year, I bought a small, trailerable Com-Pac 16 sailboat. Cheap. Turns out there’s a reason for that — and it’s not that I’m a good negotiator or hunter of fabulous deals. It turns out it was in need of far more work than I expected — work...

I know — I mentioned the word “politics,” so I will have a rash of unsubscribes. And I get it; we’ve been told not to talk politics at work. And sure, in many — heck, most — cases, that advice can help avoid unnecessary conflict. But what happens when political...

Psychological safety has become a buzzword lately, but I think we often miss the nuance of how it actually works. In my recent post, From Pensions to Psychological Safety: Rethinking Retention in Today’s Workplace, I talked about safety as a cornerstone of retention...