
The Expectations Trap
I almost ruined my daughter’s eighth-grade promotion. It had nothing to do with the ceremony. It had everything to do with a mistake I help leaders avoid every day. Apparently, I needed the reminder too. I share the story in

I almost ruined my daughter’s eighth-grade promotion. It had nothing to do with the ceremony. It had everything to do with a mistake I help leaders avoid every day. Apparently, I needed the reminder too. I share the story in

Silence is data. But leaders have to be paying attention to see it. In my corporate career, I watched a leader miss this data every Monday morning. I’ve never forgotten it. I share the story in this video.

50% said this is most important for office etiquette. With it being National Business Etiquette Week, I thought this statistic was especially interesting. It’s not being punctual, which my mom may disagree with! It’s not dressing professionally, although that did

A workshop attendee said it, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how many people are chasing that feeling before they speak up, step forward, or put themselves into

The “Gen Z stare” isn’t the problem. It’s just what people are noticing. But what’s underneath it is something very different. And it’s showing up far beyond one generation. I recorded a short video on this and why it matters

Knowing what to do isn’t the hard part. Earlier this week, I shared that leaders often know exactly what needs to happen and still don’t get the outcome they expect. One of the reasons is this: People assume communication is

This is how accountability breaks down. Earlier this week I shared that most managers don’t avoid accountability, they avoid the conversation that comes with it. This is one of the most common ways I see that show up. Instead of

Being clear still isn’t enough. I see this happen with leaders all the time. They explain the plan. They walk through expectations. They repeat the priorities. And yet the work still comes back misaligned. At that point, many leaders assume

Senior leaders don’t struggle with capability. They struggle with visibility. I’ve noticed something interesting over the years. Leaders are often incredibly comfortable talking about the accomplishments of their teams, their organizations, even their families. But when it comes to their

Most communication breakdowns don’t start with words. They start with assumptions. We assume intent far more often than we realize. With our direct reports. With our peers. With our manager. Those assumptions feel certain. They rarely are. And once we

Didn’t get the promotion? Good. You’ve checked the boxes. Had the conversations. Watched others rise while you’re still waiting your turn. I’ve been there! But what if the promotion is something deeper… and more personal? This week’s video offers a

“Just tell me what you want me to say.” That’s what I told one of my managers years ago. It taught me something powerful about how leaders think they’re communicating… and what’s actually being heard. If you’re a leader who
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