What should you do when policies aren’t being followed, customers are upset, and everything starts to fall apart?
These are all symptoms of Frankenstein Management Syndrome: A condition where harmful outcomes occur because leaders are disconnected from the needs of their employees, customers, and community.
Let’s explore what causes this scary condition and how to avoid it.
Continue reading “Frankenstein Management: Why Bias Can Destroy a Great Business”
Whether you are giving a talk to 10 people or 1000, giving a successful presentation requires you to use the power of influence to engage with your audience.
A keynote speaker goes beyond a regular presentation, because it requires not only tremendous influence, but also a strategy that creates results for the event’s organizers.
What can we do to avoid a catastrophe like Chernobyl?
Although your business may not be facing problems to the magnitude of a nuclear plant meltdown, it’s still possible to completely miss the warning signs that the ‘wheels are coming off the wagon.”
I have found that the best way to develop a resilient response to disasters is by relying on the feedback of Devil’s Advocates.
Continue reading “7 Things HBO’s Chernobyl Taught Me About Devil’s Advocates”
March 17 is an American holiday to commemorate St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Although it was not originally celebrated in Ireland, this day is important to Irish immigrants as a way to remember their heritage.
And it’s one that I have never celebrated. Until recently.
As with most oral family histories, mine was shared by relatives who spent time digging through genealogical records. I knew that my Dad’s side was German & English, and my Mom’s side was mostly English (my Grandmother is a descendant of the first King of England, Egbert of Wessex).
But that’s where my identity ended. Mostly English, with a German surname from my Dad’s side.
Continue reading “Perspective Shifts and My (New) Irish Heritage”
Can we be aggressive toward someone and not even know it?
I think we can.
Aggression is behavior that is hostile, forceful, or destructive. It comes from the Latin ad- (“to”) and the word gradi (“to step toward something or approach; to attack”).
It is an outward expression of inward anger that can cause incredible harm to others, even if we don’t realize it at first. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what aggression looks like, especially if you’re very comfortable with a highly competitive atmosphere.
Continue reading “Why Unconscious Aggression is So Hard to See as a Leader”
This is the final in a 3-part series about Pain and Decision-Making.
In previous posts, I described ways to see pain objectively, and how to identify pain points, and ways to fix them. In this article, we’ll be examining some difficult topics that most leaders tend to avoid.
The following is my perspective on owning a business, experiencing trauma, and bringing my failures to light.
I used to hate the idea of sharing details about my personal life or business publicly, mostly because it’s not fun to get rejected by strangers. As an entrepreneur, my business and personal decisions are intertwined; so negative feedback about my company can feel like a personal attack.
Sometimes, it seems like everyone else is succeeding while you’re the only one struggling. But the truth is, we all face challenges of some sort. Most of us just don’t like to talk about it. Because being transparent is scary.
Continue reading “Why #MeToo Inspired Me to Be Transparent and Share My Failures”
Pain isn’t something most of us want to experience. We are hard-wired to avoid unpleasant conversations, experiences, and memories. And most of the time, this instinct serves us well.
But when it comes to recognizing risks — vulnerabilities and threats that could cause harm — avoiding pain is dangerous.
This is the first in a 3-part series about Pain and Decision-Making.
In this post, I will review the basics of pain, our unique thresholds, corresponding fears, and how to evaluate and properly both pain and managing risk. Continue reading “What Happens When We Avoid Pain in Decision-Making?”
