The Cynicism Cure

Cynicism. We’ve all seen it. The eye-rolls in the back of the meeting, the ‘here we go again’ Slack messages, and that lack of engagement, that hesitance to get started that covers every new initiative like a wet blanket. But cynicism is a defense mechanism. And at work, it’s what happens when employees have been […]

Use Daily Huddles to Increase Team Performance

Here’s a practice that is sure to improve the performance of your team. Daily huddles. Short, daily team get-togethers that set you up for success every day. I recently prescribed daily huddles for a client of mine, and the next time I talked to them, they couldn’t believe all the good that had come out […]

Two Ears, One Mouth…Tell Me More

Much has been written and said about the contributions of women leaders in American business. With four+ decades of operating in this space, and a bit of your indulgence, I’d like to add to it a bit… a wee bit.  First things first, I’m a fan of women business leaders, for three reasons… On that […]

Are You Limiting Discretionary Effort?

When it comes to “discretionary effort”, that extra morsel of human effort (we call it “oomph”) that each of us is capable of contributing when, but only when we want to, much of it is being withheld, owing to a variety of factors. Consider for a moment the following discretionary effort “limiter” that just might […]

Fear of Being Left Behind by AI

If you haven’t yet seen Edelman’s “2026 Trust Barometer” Report, get it. As usual, it’s chock full of fresh insight on the current relative levels of organizational trust and confidence, sliced by nation and income level. Hint:  Unsurprisingly, the build-out & deployment of AI is leaving marks already. While encouraging you to read it for […]

Why Engagement Matters Now More Than Ever

In an especially good 12/27/25 Wall Street Journal piece (“Companies Are Outlining Plans for 2026. Hiring Isn’t One of Them”), Chip Cutter notes that US business hiring has predictably slowed to a crawl on the cusp of full-blown AI launch, and anticipated corollary job reductions. As a result, many who might otherwise have entertained a […]

So Long, 2025

The year 2025 is about to come to an end. Thank goodness, some would say. On the good side, Unemployment stayed relatively stable, and under the level of full employment. The US economy DID add a significant number of jobs in 2025, just not as many as in each of the last couple of years, […]

Some Thoughts for Leaders On the Front Edge of AI

AI is already replacing jobs, and we’re just at the start of powerful tsunami that promises to wipe out countless more. Have you thought about how, down the road, you’ll fill your middle and senior ranking talent with fewer humans in the developmental levels of your organization?

Motivated People Move Faster

Treating people right, to include with high expectations, is still one of the very best things you can do for your organization’s customers, your bottom line, and yes, your employer reputation. The current practice of firing, unfiring, and refiring federal workers in retaliation for political disagreement is a particularly visible example of what NOT to do to motivate workers.

Making AI-Related Downsizing Suck Less

Good advice on dealing with downsizing caused by the growth of AI tools in the workplace.