7 Tips for Learning as a Leader

As a child, my grandfather encouraged me to learn something new every single day, even if I didn't think it would help me immediately. He also taught me that a continuous curiosity about the world around me was far more important than achieving a high grade or winning someone else's approval. As a result, I'm fiercely passionate about the power of learning both in my own life, and in the lessons I teach others.

7 Ways to Help Your Team Be More Innovative

We all have the ability to devise innovative, world-changing ideas. But without the right place in which to develop and nurture these ideas, they remain nothing more than a far-off dream. If you want to bring your team's most innovative ideas to life, follow these 7 actionable tips for creating an inspiring and encouraging team environment.

Make a Plan for the 16th Minute

Now that the hype has died down, the Olympics (and Paralympics) seem like a distant memory. Imagine making the medal podium and a few weeks later hardly anyone remembers your name. Was the 15 minutes of fame worth it? Most Olympians have trained from a very young age to reach that pinnacle in their sport — talk about Watering The Bamboo!

Are meetings getting in the way of work?

We’ve all been there: Soul sucking meetings with little direction, no clear champion, and no decisions. Brainstorming sessions that result in great ideas but no real deliverables. The "quick chat" that turns into hours. As a leader you must change the way meetings are conducted in your organization, knowing full well that they are a necessary component of communications in today’s environment.

Be More Innovative—Use the "IMAC Method"

The digital age has brought intense disruption and competition to every industry and every profession out there. So, understandably, organizations and teams must be more creative and innovative in order to simply survive… let alone thrive. Over the years, I've had the privilege of working with numerous organizations and leadership teams on ways to increase their innovation and speed to market with their products and services.

Mind Your Own Bamboo

When a person or a team sets a goal to do something extraordinary (aka your Bamboo Dream), whether that goal is to go to the moon, win a gold medal, or change an entire industry, critics, killjoys, and naysayers come out of the woodwork saying things such as: You are crazy. That will never work. Why are you wasting your time? What makes you think you are so special?

Manage Your Anger or It Will Manage You

An executive recently asked me, “Do you ever get angry?” I believe the question she really wanted answered is, “How do you manage your anger or frustration?” Even though sometimes I feel like an alien, frustration and anger are a “normal” reaction for human beings. I have never been one to be over the top with rage, but I have had my moments.