Difficult executives are the bane of their peers and a major drag on the energy of their bosses. Unintentional Jerk The “unintentional jerk” is a particular type of difficult executive. They have the best of intentions and firmly believe that they are doing what is best for their company or team. However, they leave a trail Read More >
Past Executive Briefings
Why Good Companies Fail: Catalysts, Reasons & Interventions
The economy is tough, but is getting better. I hear it from most of my C-Level clients. Now, the tone is, “We need to gear up so that we are not left behind as we emerge from the pandemic.” If you’ve been fortunate, you’ve built a good, perhaps “great” company that has weathered this crisis and Read More >
Conflict at Work: an advantage
An important ingredient for business success is to hire smart, confident, and assertive people. However, when you do, you’re sure to have conflict. It’s impossible to put a bunch of intelligent, self-assured people together without them bumping heads. In fact, if there isn’t conflict, then something may be very wrong. Nothing creative ever happens in Read More >
Parlay Collective Intelligence: Through Engendering Trust & Accountability
Business success depends upon team success. In today’s business it’s obvious…or it should be, that each of us has only a part of the expertise or information we need to get our jobs done. However, success is not about gathering resources to you. The American independent, entrepreneurial spirit can only go so far these days. Read More >
5 Steps to Creative Thinking
Recently, with the downturn in the economy precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve observed a corresponding downturn in business peoples’ ability to think creatively. Ironically, right at the time when more creativity is most needed. Creative thinking is the economy’s fuel – discovery, invention, and entrepreneurism. Geniuses produce because they think fluently and flexibly.Michael Michalko Read More >
Toxic Colleagues: Dealing with Their Negativity
In any organization, there are some who are opposed to any change, even positive change. They have often worked within the same structure for years, and it provides their comfort zone. They can be toxic colleagues. Most people, though, are resistive to change not because they actively oppose development, but because they are simply anxious. Read More >
Leadership Tips: 15 Leadership Ideas Anyone Can Use
These leadership tips will help you find balance for your team, and yourself. Communication really is key. Most people respect and appreciate direct developmental feedback from their bosses. It drives people crazy sensing that something is wrong and not knowing what it is. If you are upset about something your employees are doing – tell them. Read More >
Managing Up: Why It’s Important
Successful leaders know how to manage others. But what are the keys to managing up? Learn the key tactics that can help you manage your boss.
Innovative Thinking: Spurring Innovative Thinking in Business – Tips for Executives
Do you want your employees to be more innovative? Yes, of course. Who doesn’t? However, spurring innovative thinking and action is not easy, otherwise everyone would be creating the Apple Watch, Zoom, and the Go-Pro Hero. Here I’ll offer tips on how to foster more innovative thinking in your business. Suggestions are drawn from my Read More >
Accelerating Executive Development
One of the hallmarks of highly effective executives is their willingness and ability to act proactively regarding their own and their employee’s professional development. I am constantly amazed, however, about the frequency in which we (I refer to my colleagues in the Society of Consulting Psychology of the American Psychological Association) encounter organizations that only Read More >