Longer days, lighter moods, and a reminder that energy matters at work too. For a lot of Canadians, Victoria Day Weekend (a.k.a. May 2-4) feels like the unofficial start of summer. Cottages reopen. BBQs come out. Garden centres suddenly get busy. And someone inevitably tries sitting on a dock wearing a bikini even though it’s still only 17 degrees outside. And somehow, everyone convinces themselves the lake will feel “refreshing.” Growing up, May 2-4 always felt like a shift

Strong leaders plan for summer pressure before it arrives. Good leaders are always planning ahead. By the time summer arrives, strong teams already know the plan. Our family summer calendar is booked solid. Trips. Family visits. Camps. BBQs. Work travel. Weekends away. Every single week between now and August already has a purpose. Not because we’re rigid. Because we’re intentional. A few days ago, a dear friend mentioned he and his partner were going to play it by ear this s

People can spot generic communication faster than ever—and they’re craving authenticity from leaders. We’ve all read the emails that sound polished but somehow say nothing. The LinkedIn posts filled with buzzwords. The perfectly formatted responses that feel completely disconnected from reality. AI is becoming incredibly useful. I use it. Most leaders I know are exploring it too. But something interesting is happening at the same time. The more automated communication becomes

Some of the best leadership conversations happen around a BBQ With National BBQ Day coming up, I was thinking about how often people open up when there’s no formal agenda, no pressure, and no meeting invite attached to the conversation. Standing around a BBQ has a way of leveling things out. People relax. Stories come out. You learn what’s actually going on in someone’s world. Over the years, I’ve learned some of the most valuable leadership moments happen in the in-between s

It’s part of how strong teams perform I was talking with a leader recently who was frustrated that their team seemed to be losing energy. The work was getting done. Deadlines were being met. But something felt off. People were slower to engage. Less sharp in their thinking. Quicker to get frustrated. Nothing had changed in the workload. But something had changed in their capacity to sustain it. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s a good reminder that performance is

Why May feels harder than it should January starts with energy. Plans are clear. Goals are set. Everyone’s moving. By May, it’s different. The work is real now. The pressure is clearer. And the energy that carried teams through Q1 starts to fade. I see this a lot. Not because teams aren’t capable — but because momentum isn’t something you set once and forget. It needs attention. This is where leadership matters most. Not in the big moments, but in the quieter ones. When thing