Mike’s Blog

When things are uncertain, you might find yourself feeling anxious. One way to deal with your anxiety is to use the illusion of certainty to your advantage. This common illusion comes in many forms - detailed plans, comprehensive processes, thorough PowerPoint decks,...

"It's the senior managers - they don't understand our world."* "It's the big consultancies - they only care about making money."* "It's the shareholders - they only care about the bottom line."* There are many ways you can lay blame for your challenges and failures....

Recently, I've spent time thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life. I love the work I do, but is there a point given how overwhelming the world's problems can feel. This conflict leaves me feeling stuck, unable to move because I'm too worried about...

Fear sucks. I know fear is there to keep you safe. However, fear can get in the way of achieving great things. Fear is the reason too many ideas and dreams die before they see the light of day. You can't eliminate fear, nor do you want to, as you will find yourself...

There are plenty of reasons people don't talk about their ideas. They might think it's too ridiculous, or perhaps they're worried others might judge them. They might be thinking they're not smart enough to come up with anything useful. A key to improvement is to make...

I've talked about publishing a book for several years now. However, with a busy life, the book never seems to be the priority. At least, this is the story I've been telling myself. Your stories are pointing to a choice you are making. Sometimes, you have to dig a bit...

The word, lazy is defined as an unwillingness to work or use energy. Labelling someone as lazy is an evaluation, which serves little value in your leadership. Rather than putting a label on people, leaders bring out the best in them. Start with the assumption that...

It's human nature to focus on what is or might go wrong. However, as a leader, your human nature might be costing you dearly. According to several studies, 79% of people have quit a job where they didn't feel appreciated (source). Stop assuming they know how much you...

Imagine being a band conductor, and you want the band to speed up. What would happen if you continued conducting at the same tempo? Simple, the band would continue playing at the current tempo. Conducting is leadership, and there's a lesson leaders can take from...

How often do you hear people talk about coping with something? It might be a bad job, relationship or place they live. The word cope comes from Middle English, and meant 'meet in battle, come to blows.' When it comes to your mindset, it seems a fitting origin for the...

When I started my business, I thought success was a destination, and life would be good when I got there. This type of thinking is demoralizing as no matter what I achieved, I still couldn't think of myself as successful. You will not wake up one day to find success...

The corporate world often measures leadership by looking at skills, competencies, job titles, etc. I've even seen leadership measured by how much someone talks. Skills, competencies, education, and behaviours are all essential. However, the only accurate measure of...