Last week, we posted Teams That Perform Part I. It was about leaders finding the right variable mix of Time, Energy, People & Communication to maximize results. Then things changed. Covid hit and is still being managed differently around the country. Throw in massive civil unrest and a presidential election cycle and we have experienced change the likes of which our country hasn’t seen since the late 1960’s.  In May 2020, we posted a blog titled Remaining Agile After Covid-19. It was centered around applying Agile values around circumstances to navigate change. It noted a variance in ..read more

When a team does not perform, it is usually the coach that is held accountable.  What do successful coaches do to drive to successful team performance?  What are the factors that distinguish teams that perform well from those that don’t? As a leadership consultant, I have found that balancing the four variables of time, energy, people, and communication well is often the key to successful team performance.   1) Time – We all get 168 hours a week.  That's it.  How a leader chooses to invest that time and with whom often spells the difference between mediocrity and succe ..read more

Hello Leaders. I recently told a friend of mine that studying pandemics and learning about a massive change period is a lot more to read about than to live through. However, I have been inspired by the innovation and places where we have pulled together. Unfortunately, we have also seen lots of examples of people blaming others, worrying about themselves and just being petty. I have just wrapped up a 7 class study on the book The Outward Mindset from the Arbinger Institute. I think there are some great lessons from this book that can help you navigate the challenging times that we are all faci ..read more

There is reason for some guarded optimism as we exit the Covid-19 situation and re-open the American economy for business. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) conducted a survey in May 2020 with 288 Chief Financial Officers and Finance leaders in public and private companies. The result of that survey which has updated information through May 11th shows that:   §  For the first time, over half of CFOs expect it to take their company at least three months to recover once the virus recedes. §  58% of all respondents are considering pushing back or canceling planned investments ..read more

I can’t remember a time of more change in my lifetime (I was born in 1968 so did not see the 1960’s.) We have a global pandemic, massive economic crisis and protests across the country around racial inequality. We have had to figure out how to home school our kids, get our employees to work from home and someone get our products and services to our customers. It has been a challenging time and it looks like some of these challenges will be around for a while. Okay, so what does that mean for you as a leader. The Guns & Roses song, Patience, pops to mind when I think about you. You and your ..read more

The Tale of “The Under-Cabinet Light Fixture” We needed to replace some under-cabinet light fixtures in the kitchen. And given our recent circumstances with COVID, we had some time to do this project. While I am not a super handyman, doing the replacement looked pretty straightforward. Having replaced fixtures of this nature in the past, I followed a logical Mr. Fixit plan: Safety first (i.e., make certain the main power is off) Studied the instructions thoroughly before attempting the installation Made sure that all the appropriate tools were readily accessible And of course, viewed t ..read more

These are stressful and uncertain times for everyone, but small business owners may be feeling some added pressure. From adhering to rapidly changing COVID-19 and social-distancing policies to ensuring financial stability, there’s a lot to think about when you are operating a small business right now. Before you start to feel overwhelmed by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on your small business, you should know that there are quite a few resources and information guides available to help you make sense of it all. COVID Resources for Businesses Online We know that being a small business o ..read more

There has been a lot of talk about the so-called new normal. What is it and how do we adapt to it? One of my favorite methodologies is agile. As you know, it comes from the software industry and has been around the better part of 20 years. Agile principles and values have driven much success in the past by cutting to the chase of what matters. A great deal of my colleagues who work at laboratory-based or healthcare-based companies are living examples of how teams are stepping up to meet COVID challenges. I marvel at how the private sector has marshalled resources following these principles We ..read more

Okay, we’ve been doing this now for 7 weeks! We’ve achieved a new operating rhythm. I’m curious as to what’s working for you and what has been challenging? I know for me, I miss being able to go from meeting to meeting and place to place, getting quality conversations with people and being inspired by the action I see people taking at the various work sites. One thing that I have enjoyed is that I am much more efficient!  I am often able to focus more and accomplish working on hard tasks that I might struggle with during normal times. Leaders, I want you to start thinking about what your ..read more

Is your business struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic? If it is, you’re not alone.  I want to say it again; you’re not alone.  Working remotely is a huge transition for teams used to office life, and your communication might be suffering as a result of distance and change. Let me help you make it easier.  You're my main priority and I want you to be successful and come out the other side of this in a positive way. My partners have been working nonstop to create resources that I give to my high priority clients, so I couldn't wait to share this with you. The Working From H ..read more