What leadership can learn from Mother’s Day My wife is amazing. She has a demanding full-time job, shows up for our daughters in all the ways that matter, is there for me, her own mother, our extended family and friends — she’s my best friend, the first person I want to share good news with, and the one I want to spend my free time with. She’s my partner in all of it. And a lot of what she does goes unnoticed. Not because it isn’t valued — but because it’s not always visible.

The expertise closest to the ground matters most I’ve spent a lot of time working with teams in technical environments. And one thing is always true. The people closest to the work usually have the clearest view of what’s really happening. They see the risks. They spot the inefficiencies. They know where things don’t quite line up. But they don’t always feel heard. National Skilled Trades Day is a good reminder of the value that lies in that experience. These are people who

Why pushing harder isn’t always the answer I’ve had a few conversations lately with leaders who are trying to get more out of their teams. More output. More speed. More consistency. And on paper, it makes sense. But when you look a little closer, the issue usually isn’t effort. It’s capacity. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s a good reminder that people aren’t operating at a constant level of energy or focus. Workload builds. Pressure accumulates. Things outside

Why great leaders listen longer than feels comfortable I was in a conversation recently with a leader who was trying to help a team member work through a challenge. He asked a question… and then answered it himself. It was quick. Efficient. Well-intentioned. And it completely shut down the thinking process. Psychologist Carl Rogers found that when people feel truly heard, they’re far more likely to arrive at their own insights. In fact, clients who experienced deep listening

What your team picks up on before you say a word I was in a team conversation recently where someone raised a concern that wasn’t easy to hear. Nothing was said right away. But you could see it. A slight shift in posture. A quick tightening around the eyes. A micro-expression that lasted less than a second. And just like that, the tone in the room changed. Research shows that we display subtle judgment cues within 0.3 seconds of hearing something uncomfortable — and nearly 9

Why we rush to fix before we understand During a team check-in recently, one team member started walking through a challenge they were dealing with. Before they’d even finished explaining it, someone else jumped in with a solution. It came from a good place. It usually does. But it missed the mark. Research shows that when someone expresses a problem or frustration, we try to comfort or fix it within 15 seconds about 78% of the time. And in 82% of cases, we offer solutions b