It’s STILL Your People, Stupid!

For all the technological advances we’ve employed in the workplace, there’s still one thing that rises to the top of what really makes or breaks us – what is that? It’s your people!

On Being a “Professional”

Memphis 3-minute read We seem to be struggling mightily with professionalism of late, not the term, but the underlying behavior. What does it mean, and to whom? What are the expectations, the boundaries, if any? How are they evolving? Does it even matter, or is this just another arcane differentiation that’s falling by the wayside? My […]

Leader Development – Now What?

by Bill Catlette 20 June, 2022 • memphis In a recent LinkedIN post https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/jack-pretty-damn-good-jeff-immelt/, former GE Chairman & CEO Jeff Immelt paid tribute to his predecessor, Jack Welch. “Jack invested in leadership. He was a good coach… demanding and fair. GE produced a lot of good leaders” which they did. That’s not gratuitous praise. Like […]

I’m Just a Bartender

In stark contrast to the somber swearing in of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the offices of President and VP respectively, the world witnessed with combined amusement and respect the diligence of an as yet unidentified man, some say a Bill Barr look-alike, dubbed “Podium Sanitizer Guy”* who sprung into action and quietly but […]

Five Tips For Keeping Feedback From Being a 4-Letter Word

During their annual peak business season (Nov-Dec), FedEx and rival UPS, between them, deliver about 50 million packages per day, with remarkable on-time regularity, even in the face of a nasty pandemic and difficult weather. Our feedback process as leaders should be so reliable, but it isn’t, far from it. Yet, with a workforce that […]

Strengthening The Leadership Bench

Nov 8, 2020 • memphis Joe Biden has emerged atop the U.S. presidential scrum not because he has the market cornered on brains and good ideas, but because, in contrast to a man who has proven wholly unfit to lead, his behavior reflects the character, temperament, tone and record of one who more likely is. […]

Leaders, Are You Adding Too Much Value?

memphis • 9.4.20 In his excellent book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”, author and executive coach extraordinaire, Marshall Goldsmith presents a list of twenty performance disruptors that, if left unattended, can derail or diminish a leader’s career. An “oldie but a goody” the book is often required reading for my coaching clients […]

We Need More Bell Cows

memphis • 03.18.20 In a week destined to go down in infamy, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, on March 11, 2020, after consultation with his advisors, player representatives, and team owners drew a deep breath, whistled pro basketball action to a hard stop, and instantly put the league’s teams in what could be a season ending […]

Move Over Fellas

March 11, 2020 6:46AM By virtue of my role as an executive coach, I have the opportunity to work with women (and men) who’ve taken it upon themselves to accelerate their rate of professional and personal growth. As for the women, their intensity and drive to succeed makes them a joy to work with. Usually, […]