I grew up in a large family. If you’ve ever been part of a big family, you know what that means. Differing personalities. Competing perspectives. Changing agendas, with each trying to prioritize their own. Dizzying schedules, especially around sports. Occasional chaos around the dinner table, if you can actually eat together. And somewhere in the… Read more »
Recently, I found myself in a conversation with a senior leader whose team was struggling on all fronts. Collaboration was slipping. Performance had dipped. Morale was low. Everyone wanted recognition, yet no one seemed willing to put in the work required to get there. The leaders were tired, the team was frustrated, and progress felt… Read more »
When something goes wrong on a team, there are always two choices a leader can make: point outward or look inward. I call this the difference between “blaming out” and “blaming in.” Blaming out is the instinct to look around for who else caused the problem: another department, another individual, a market downturn, an underperforming… Read more »
Throughout the year, I travel the country and work with both sports teams and business teams on how to increase performance and productivity through better teamwork. This year, many leaders, coaches, CEO’s, and managers have expressed a similar need to address a new, common issue affecting their teams. Political divisions. And these political divisions are seeping into… Read more »
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, it brought seismic shifts to every corner of society, especially the world of work. For a majority of companies across America, remote work was not just a temporary adaptation—it was a lifeline. Almost overnight, employees were required to transition from in-office operations to working from their homes…. Read more »
How can leaders identify and transform toxic team cultures? Toxic work environments are not that uncommon. As a member of many teams as an athlete, a coach, and now an entrepreneur, I can attest that sometimes we find ourselves in work environments that are not positive, communicative, collaborative, or healthy. I have talked to many… Read more »
This past year, I traveled more than any year since COVID hit. It feels good to connect physically with people again, and not rely solely on virtual meetings. My travel has catapulted me around the country, including internationally, and it has afforded me the opportunity to meet many different people from different companies and to… Read more »
What is the difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why is it important for all levels of leadership to understand how it impacts organizational advancement between genders?(1) The answer lies in the fact that a large percentage of women are not reaching the C-Suite in their organizations. While both mentorship and sponsorship are important for… Read more »
No team, whether workplace, sports, family, or community, is void of conflict. Life is full of differing ideas, values, beliefs, and emotions. And there are countless ways to handle conflict. As we mature in life and obtain more experience with conflict, we learn different ways to handle it. Hence, managing conflict on teams is one… Read more »
When it comes to optimal team performance, strategies for preserving a safe space for discourse (i.e. “the middle ground”) is imperative. Teams who achieve great outcomes rely heavily on the middle ground conversations where ideas are shared and different opinions are welcomed. If teams have no safe space, there is no genuine growth or development… Read more »