Like anyone trying to grow a business, I spend a fair amount of time on LinkedIn. Well, maybe at times, more than a fair amount. Last week, I caught myself somewhat mindlessly scrolling. Which, as we all know, is a dangerous pastime. Looking at all the posts, I wasn’t sure […]
Category: Leadership
Shared Starts, Sudden Ends
Just over two years ago, we walked through the front doors on the same morning. Two strangers sharing a start date. Over time, it was evident that we shared more than a start date. We shared a commitment to common sensical execution. We shared a disdain for bureaucracy. And we […]
Forecasting Regret
Over the last few years, I have found myself with opportunities to make more personal decisions at a higher rate than ever before. There are three reasons for this: As you might imagine, most decisions are rather mundane, but some have been monumental. Regardless of where decisions fall on that […]
RTO or OTR?
Admittedly, I was personally disappointed when my boss told me of the imminent Return to Office mandate. Like so many, I was professionally thriving in and personally grateful for the hybrid work environment I had been enjoying since being hired to this team. The company I had worked for just […]
This Blog Post Was Purposely Removed
Though names and companies were purposely obfuscated in the original blog post, it was removed to protect the privacy of anyone perceived to have been a subject of the article. The purpose of this forum continues to be that of sharing general observations on leadership and is in no way […]
Empathizing with the Uninformed
I truly believe that everyone has the right to voice their opinion. At the same time, and as crass as it sounds, I believe that only the informed deserve to have their opinions heard. To me, the divide today is not between the left and the right, the red and the blue, the rich and the poor, the haves and the have nots. The divide is between those of us committed to living an empathetic life and those who care only of themselves, lacking the courage to question their convictions.
Leaders as Connectors
As a leader, I have lived on the creative end of the military spectrum and my most recent (and last) tour in the Navy positioned me on the more disciplined end of the creative spectrum. I have long subscribed to the philosophy that a leader must be the leader the […]
Interim Leadership
It’s that day. It’s the end of my tenure as the Interim Leader of the team to which I am currently assigned. It’s been 201 days and for the first time in my career, I am more than good with passing the baton to someone else. The main reason I […]
Parting Clouds
It is often said that we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. I am certain that we have all personally experienced that feeling at one point or another in our life. I know that I have on more than a few occasions. It is for that reason that […]
Progress: More Than What You See
Last Friday, we held our monthly All Hands event. Given the distributed and constant focus on mission execution nature of our team, we commit to coming together once a month to communicate priorities, provide updates on progress, introduce new members of our team and say goodbye to those who are […]
Glaciers, Fjords, and Teambuilding
Many of us are surrounded by dichotomies and some of us live in more than one, I find myself a uniformed military officer living in Silicon Valley – two very different cultures (at least on the surface). I also find myself as part of a team moving fast, yet maturing […]
Last(ing) Impressions
It is said that we never get a second chance to make a first impression. Though I agree that first impressions are vitally important to the framing of a relationship, establishing rapport, and setting the tone for an experience, it’s not nearly as important as the impressions that last over […]
A Culture of Understanding
One of the things I find most challenging as leader of teams is developing a culture of understanding. Most of the people with whom I have served are wired to execute. They like to get things done. Some slow down to deliberately think about desired effects and unintended consequences before […]
Documenting Reality
It is said that perception is reality. I believe it is more accurate to say that my perception is my reality, your perception is your reality, and when it comes down to it…perceptions matter more than reality. Unless, of course, those perceptions are in fact based on reality, which brings […]
Too Busy for Me
The last few months at work have been a whirlwind of activity. Some of the activity has generated progress, much of the activity is setting the conditions for future progress, and all of the activity continues to prove to be exhausting. One of my favorite quotes from Simon Sinek is, […]
Big Rocks, Little Rocks, and Broken Windows
Odds are that if you are reading this, you are familiar with the term Big Rocks. If you are not, I recommend you watch this video from Stephen Covey. Dr. Covey does a great job of reminding us that it’s important to ensure we make time for what is most important, or […]
Crowdsourcing Strategy
There are many definitions of strategy. Having served in the military for 25 years and counting, I have seen strategy take many shapes. Of late, I have read the National Security Strategy and the National Defense Strategy. There is a great deal to unpack in both of those complementary strategies […]
It’s Not an Act
Very few things in life go according to the script we wrote. Sometimes a reality that deviates from a plan is extremely disappointing and sometimes lady luck presents a reality that is far more amazing than any plan we could have imagined. Last summer I joined a team that I never […]
Process
Many a coach is known to have said, “Trust the Process.” The utterance of such a phrase is heard with greater frequency when the outcomes are not favorable. That is to say, a team can be putting forth an optimal effort, making all of the right decisions, and executing on the best of […]
Defaulting to Dissent
The best teams I have been on have been teams where dissent was invited, opportunities to dissent were created, and gratitude was expressed to those who cared enough to dissent. To dissent is to “hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed.” I am […]