For many of us, one of the hardest parts of leadership is speaking truth to one another. As someone who likes to please people, this has been particularly difficult for me over the years. If you desire your employees to become the best versions of themselves, it will occasionally require that you speak hard truths to them about the ...
In an August 2025 workplace survey, Gallup reported that employees who feel a strong sense of vocational purpose have better work outcomes. The survey said that 50 percent of those who have a strong purpose, feel connected to their work, are enthusiastic about what they do, and are committed to their organization’s success. By comparison, only 9 percent of employees ...
There was a season when I was managing two loan officers who were very competitive with each other. There were times when I felt like a referee, often being asked to make decisions and choose between these two lenders. It was tempting to side with the one producing the most loan volume to keep her happy, even when it ...
The New York news conference to announce the merger of two companies was a big event, designed to garner news coverage from major financial media. The mood was celebratory, as executives boasted about a bright future for the merging companies and their expectations to generate customer benefits and shareholder value. Many months later, after regulators denied the transaction, the ...
Frustrated by the over-the-top security features that continually locked my retailer-branded credit card, I called the bank that issued it to cancel it. I was stunned at the process. The audio system handled everything without engaging a real person to intervene. The bank had no idea why a long-term customer was leaving. And the retailer whose name was on the ...
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. realized that if excellence was modeled in the workplace, the opportunity for job advancement and improvement would increase dramatically. In a famous speech, Dr. King said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michaelangelo painted, or as Beethoven composed music or as Shakespeare wrote poetry. He ...
Politicians are often criticized for making promises they know they can’t possibly keep. Unfortunately, politicians are not the only ones who struggle with deception. UBN once purchased software, based in part on their salesperson promising that their software was being fully integrated with another key software product we used. After purchasing this new software, their operational team informed me that ...
My wife, Kathy, recently visited a car wash. When Kathy approached the attendant’s booth, the attendant began sharing about the benefits of their monthly club. Kathy stated she just wanted their cheapest car wash. This lady forced her canned sales pitch on Kathy anyway. Kathy said, “I’ve been coming here for two years. I just want the cheapest car wash.” ...
With an estimated 8 million businesses expected to sell or transfer due to the Great Wealth Transfer, pondering who to sell your business to is an important exercise. Money shouldn’t be the only factor. Although you may depart after the sale, your employees and executive team will still be there. Here is a principle that may need considered during a ...
With an estimated 8 million businesses expected to sell or transfer their business due to the Great Wealth Transfer, you might be surprised on how few of these owners are preparing for their transfer. According to headwayexec.com, 58% of business owners have no transition or succession plan. Less than 1/3rd of businesses have a written exit strategy. As a ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
