Mike’s Blog

Labels. We use labels in many ways. Arguably most labels serve a useful purpose, and some even protect us from danger. Take canned food, for example. While gone on our honeymoon, our friends got into our apartment to have a little 'fun.' The one thing our friends did...

Do you remember the Bud Light “steaming cup of coffee?” Commercial? In this commercial, people equate a steaming cup of coffee to the idea that Johnson is working hard. The boss walks by his office, spots the steaming cup and comments, “Looks like Johnson’s in early.”...

On Friday, the internet went down for cable subscribers in southern Ontario. Once I realized it was down, my first thoughts went to “how am I going to get my work done today. What about the calls I have scheduled?” While I do have the hotspot on my phone, it’s too...

I was coaching an executive near the top of one of Canada's big banks. She called me in one day to talk about running a leadership program for her team. On my way to her office, I had decided I would only do this program if it were for the right reasons. Too many...

Success, failure, famous, or unknown. What if none of it really matters and life could be easy. You just need to decide that it is. “Nothing really matters.” — Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody

It’s confession time! Historically, I suck at asking for help. For the longest time, it didn’t feel like a problem. I’d tell myself to justify not asking for help, like: It’ll take me longer to teach someone else what to do than to do it myself Someone else won’t do...

Let's start by listing some of the more pervasive problems people are dealing with right now: The war in Ukraine and the uncertainty it's creating. The ongoing pandemic and the debates around masks, vaccines, and more. The so-called freedom convoys and their impact on...