I am fortunate to work in America’s Heartland, where we have a reputation for being nice.  Midwesterners are often pegged as hard-working, courteous, helpful and friendly. This makes me proud.  And while you’ll find a few “bad apples” wherever you go, for the most part, I agree with this characterization. But what does being “Iowa-nice” mean for leaders and the way they manage their teams? In other words, can you lead effectively without being a jerk? As I have worked with le

Leadership is a BIG deal.  Why?   Leaders set the tone and create the “feel” of the workplace.    What’s it like to work here? Is this a good place to work? Am I appreciated?” Leaders impact both the bottom line and people’s livelihood.   “Is my job safe?  Do I have a career here? Does the company care about my future?” Leaders connect employees to the organization   Do I want to work here?  Am I giving 100%? Will I stay? Yes, leadership is a critical differentiator for a com

As of today, there are 36 days left in 2017 and that is 36 days to FINISH STRONG. So today think about how you want to finish the year.  It is not over yet so don’t turn the page so quickly! Set your FINAL 31-day goals for the year.  Make it count. Is there something you wanted to do at the start of 2017 that you still want to get done? Okay, maybe you didn’t lose the weight you had planned in 2017 but you can still shave off five pounds in the last 31 days (yes, even dur

World Kindness Day is Nov 13, 2017. Here are 10 practical ideas to honor its intent. ( Remember, you can use these ideas on other days too). Send a personalized note card to each of your employees letting them know you appreciate them; put in on their desk before they come to work.  Spring for a Pumpkin Spiced Latte (or another treat) and personally deliver to each of your staff. Tell your team in honor of their hard work, everyone gets to leave 2 hours early. Buy your boss’s

Being a leader can be a hard and sometimes thankless job. Here are some of the reasons why: Expectations come from all fronts: boss’s needs, subordinate’s demands, peer requests and you try not to let any of them down. Problem-solving, putting out fires and unexpected priority shifts consume eight of the 10-12 hour days. Career needs, along with your personal desire to grow, results in committee assignments, training programs, and ad hoc projects teams. If that wasn’t bad eno

Does anyone else wrestle with the Halloween bucket of candy sitting on the counter? I decided to label it this year for what it is – TEMPTATION.  But here’s the thing, life is filled with temptation and we must find the power to resist it.  Here are just a few things that came to mine as I considered what I was tempted on over the weekend ….. Organize my office or binge on Netflix series? Church or sleep in? Take the dog for a walk or read my book? Work on a project or surf t

Leaders get to be leaders by rising to the top -- solving problems, taking charge, conquering the obstacles. In organizations, these opportunities are moment by moment. And while these matters may consume a leader’s time and attention, they distract from the most important role a leader has – to care for, develop, and positively impact other human beings. And not just in the workplace. During a conversation I had with a successful business owner, she told me that she conside

It is easy to feel overwhelmed, depressed and hopeless by what is going on around us. Violent acts seem to be escalating on a much too frequent basis.  Daily news showcases human tragedy that capture our attention and leave us glued to know more, see more, and learn more. Even when the news outlets try to balance the messages of goodness to counteract the horrific, the catastrophes remain in our psyche and leave us with a deep void.  We are filled with shock, sadness, and gr

I’ve been a student of leadership development for some time now and appreciate the fact that there has been a lot of great books written, studies performed, and models created.  There are a lot of talented people who share great perspectives and opinions on the topic of leadership. I have appreciated being the student of this wisdom. I also have a lot of practical experience in this subject. I’ve created and led leadership development programs to help leaders be successful.