Mike’s Blog
This is for everyone who is interested in Leadership, teams, and people.
There are currently 1,106 posts on this site. Narrow the list by searching for topics that are important to you.
How are you using your positional power?
I once quit a job that I really cared about. The reason? My boss used his positional power in ways that created many problems for the team. For example, one day, he phoned me while I was travelling home from a client site. He told me about a change that was happening...
Well I guess it was bound to happen
After more than two years, we had Covid in the house for the first time. It started with one of us testing positive. Then, within a couple of days, the rest of us were testing positive. Thankfully, none of us had any severe symptoms. It also seems that none of us will...
Try being abnormal this week
I'm mediocre. There, I said it. It's hard to admit to mediocrity in a world that values those who stand out. However, there's nothing special about me or what I'm doing in the world. At least, this is the story I told myself for a long time. Take a moment and assess...
What to do when someone is upset
Several years ago, a client asked me to put together a plan to get the team trained and up to speed on a new way of working. While presenting the plan to the management team, one of the VPs became angry as he felt I was trying to upsell him. I was taken aback and...
Are you resilient or recovering in the face of burnout?
There are times you need to be resilient and keep going forward in your life. Other times, it’s prudent to pause and recover.
Stop trying to get it right
In January 2019, I found myself frustrated with the process and experience of writing. I was finding the process of writing and publishing blog posts challenging. I would spend a lot of time working on each post as I tried to get it ‘right.’ To change the writing...
Offering feedback – what’s your mindset?
Giving useful feedback is challenging
What didn’t you say?
You never know where your intuition might take things.
How much control do you have in life?
Have you noticed how the more you try to control life, the less you seem to have control of life?
How bold are you?
I wouldn’t be leading if I’m not willing to risk it all.
The best time to solve a problem
I guarantee you will not fix 100% of the problems you can’t see.
Churning on a problem? Act!
When you notice yourself churning, pick a course of action and follow it.
Try new things every day
What would you do if everything you believed about leadership turned out to be dogma? Give that a try.
Stop fertilizing your problems
Would you cut down or fertilize the weeds that are overrunning a garden? The same goes for the problems that keep plaguing you.
What impact do you have on others?
A good place to start improving your relationships is by understanding the impact you’re having on others.
How to create lasting change
To create lasting change you must first be willing to confront the absolute truth. Yours and ours.
How was your week?
What if you loved what you do so much that T.G.I.F. wasn’t a thing?
Having what you want
Do you have what you want and want what you have? No? Put your attention on your intentions and watch how things change.
Is no one paying attention to your idea?
The world won’t care about your idea until you bring caring to it.
Don’t let your good ideas escape
Capture your thoughts when you have those moments of insight or clarity. Some of them might one day solve a problem, inspire someone, or become the basis for a blog post.
The cost of voting on your ideas
When you get an idea, how much time do you spend voting on it? “Nah, that’ll never work.” “People will think I’m crazy.” Stop the voting, and Just do it or don’t. Either way You’ll save a lot of time.
Stop waiting to feel confident
Do you know that thing you want to do so badly, yet you lack the confidence to do it? What would you do if you knew confidence is only an illusion.
What’s guiding your decisions
“Decisions Reign. Don’t give doubt the reins” — Tamsin Briar
What helps a team do great things
One of the best teams I’ve encountered spends one hour every day learning together. I wonder why they’re so good at what they do?
