You don’t need permission to lead; you need a purpose. Don’t wait to be anointed or appointed by someone else — lead from where you are, and start today. Assuming the purpose is important to you, and the timing and circumstances are ripe, you must rise. Yes, you will be…

Below you’ll find 132 easy leadership tips for busy professionals who want to manage better and lead well at home, work, and the places in-between. It’s presented in four parts. Positive Actions Checklist contains a checklist of 60 personal improvement directives to help kickstart your attitude adjustment. No More Whine…

Lousy leadership appears prevalent because it doesn’t take much effort to be a poor leader. Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t a huge barrier to entry for anyone who wants to become a leader; you just start leading. The difficulty arises for those committed to being a “good” leader. The…

Ideally, adults have the maturity and the skills to handle conflict without name-calling, shaming, and other methods of cloaking their insecurity. Alas, we have not yet achieved that utopian state. As an effective leader, you put yourself out there and take the heat others throw your way because you know…

I have a quirky thirty-year tradition of writing an Independence Day essay. Some have been published as letters to the editor; others remain firmly tucked in a journal. 246 is this year’s entry. It is painful and embarrassing to admit that many citizens have no desire or inclination to celebrate…

Part Three of a series Effective leaders know it’s not about them; it’s about those they lead. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills. Below are the final ten statements, followed by a reflection and an action. Review the…

Part Two of a series As an effective leader, you are asking yourself that question regularly. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills. Below is the second set of ten statements or notions followed by a reflection and an…

Part One of a series. If you are a leader, I hope you regularly ask yourself how you can become a better leader. If not, I would question your judgment and suggest you might be more powerful and effective as an individual contributor. This series is for busy professionals who…

Have you ever sat in a room with a bunch of people after a late morning meeting and awkwardly talked about what to do next? Everyone is tentative and polite. No one wants to offend or look foolish. …