Mike’s Blog

On more than one occasion, I have found confusion where I thought there was understanding. When I explained I didn't get any questions, so I assumed they understood. Often, people will sit with questions and not ask them. There are many reasons for this happening....

When people talk, do you listen to respond or understand? If your focus is on responding, you will miss out on a lot of valuable information. You might miss a juicy insight or a burning question. Someone might be upset or ready to quit. How do you expect to hear any...

A leader once said to me, "I know you are doing your best, but I'm not sure this is working given the people you have to work with here." Do you believe in those you lead more than they believe in themselves? Your beliefs about those you lead will leak out in how you...

A leader once came to me exhausted by the effort it took to lead their team. The leader didn't feel they could ever disconnect, and they had to be involved with everything. When I hear stories like this, my starting point is to ask “what might be different if you let...

I am confident in my ability to lead in most situations. I have led through the messiness of conflict, emotionally charged conversations and seemingly impossible situations. Despite my confidence, the only thing I'm completely confident in is that my leadership is...

What if you knew an annoyance your team struggles with costs an hour of effort every day? What if you knew those small problems are going to make your product unsupportable one day? Leadership is creating the conditions for success. Solving big problems might feel...

Last week we were on vacation, and our F150 broke down - again. I was upset and felt myself becoming emotionally hijacked. I was blaming Ford for building this lemon (it’s not the first time it has been towed). No amount of upset, blame or stress was going to resolve...

A leader once told me he wanted people to do what they were told. The leader didn't feel he had time to hear others ideas. I told him if he didn't have time to hear their ideas, then he also did not have time to succeed. Everyone has ideas. One of the jobs of a leader...

What do you dream about? Everyone has dreams, and it is in our dreams we can find a better version of ourselves. What are you doing to make room for your dreams? What are you doing to make room for the dreams of those you lead? Do you even know what others are...

I once had the opportunity to co-lead with one of my mentors. I was nervous and sitting quietly for much of the experience. I didn't think I was good enough to co-lead with her. I was telling myself a story with no basis in reality. Despite the lack of reality, my...

Everyone, myself included, is talking about authentic leadership these days. We might use different words, but the message is similar -- to be a better leader, get to know yourself better. How hard can knowing yourself be? A little self-reflection, sprinkle on a few...

Imagine your dentist drilling into a tooth uncertain with the work. What would be the impact of the uncertainty be to the patient? Does she have everything needed to finish the job? Will your tooth be done in an hour, a day or a week? When people start work with...