Mike’s Blog
This is for everyone who is interested in Leadership, teams, and people.
There are currently 1,652 posts on this site. Narrow the list by searching for topics that are important to you.
Focus on getting better
What if we dropped this need to be something to be considered successful?
What are you doing to improve your leadership?
Find one way to improve your leadership every week.
How do you support your team while facing problems?
The people you lead aren’t looking for a pep talk laced with catchphrases and buzzwords.
Good leaders learn to dig
You can only create lasting change when you find the conditions underlying the problem you see.
Do you respect the people who are resigning?
How you treat people on their way out the door can significantly impact people who are leaving.
Don’t forget the people who are already following you
When dealing with the challenges of finding new people, don’t forget to look after and lead the people you have.
There is value in talking about value
Their evolving understanding of value contributed to creating the conditions for their success.
How do you ask for what you want
Rather than asking for what you want, express it as an outcome.
You’re not leading if you don’t experience fear
You inadvertently hold yourself and others back when you deny your fears.
When you doubt the possibilities, you will be right
A snowball will grow and pick up speed as it goes, just like your team will.
Stop waiting for the perfect time … it doesn’t exist
When you wait for a better day, you lose the opportunity to have a better day today.
Hope is not a strategy
What would you need to give you more confidence now?
The difference between “I” and “we”
Saying “I” rather than “we” when talking about problems demonstrates your responsibility for what has happened, rather than hiding behind the team reference.
Do you plan for the worst-case scenario?
Rather than spending energy planning the worst-case scenario, spend your energy living the life you want.
Don’t regret the decisions you make
Never regret the decisions you make. Learn from the decision and let it go.
When you worry about failing
The next time you catch yourself thinking, “What if I fail at this?” Turn it around by asking yourself, “What if I’m wildly successful?”
Don’t worry about things which may never happen
The forecast called for rain and I went hiking in a mountain meadow with a friend. It never rained. Why get worried about something that hasn’t happened yet? Go enjoy your day!
Customer experience or profits
Why is it small airlines provide free alcoholic drinks while big airlines nickel and dime you to death? One focuses on the customer experience, while the other on their profits. Choose wisely.
What you’ll find by climbing mountains?
You can never be certain what you’ll find by climbing a mountain, except that you’ll learn something about yourself.
What motivates the people in your team?
The motivations you don’t currently know about are more likely to make a difference for your team.
Bringing your team closer together
Want to bring your team a little closer - do something unexpected … and fun!
When you feel helpless about world events
When I feel helpless about what’s happening in the world, I educate myself on how we got here. That always brings clarity about what to do next.
There’s no such thing as an accident
Calling something an accident will help justify an uncomfortable situation, but truthfully there’s no such thing as an accident.
Creativity is heart work
Creativity happens when you listen to what your heart is telling you.
