During the first four months of this year, I was very focused on a new business playbook to front-load my client creation for 2026. That focus was partly driven by fear. The relative calm of late 2025 felt fleeting – who knows what is right around the corner. I wanted to secure some new work…
In smooth seas, the Captain isn’t on deck. But when there’s a storm or an enemy ship on the horizon, they leap to the bridge and take charge. We don’t need leaders to help us keep things the same. That’s what managers do! Leadership is needed most in the unknown, when the stakes are high…
Lately, I’ve been living in more gratitude. It could be that I’m reading less news, getting more coaching, and getting outside, but I’ve noticed it showing up everywhere: in my family, my work, my community, even the way my pets want to hang out with me. Over that same time period, my business has been…
I’ve been subjected to a lot of team-building exercises. Trust falls, Lego building contests, finding your “color” and learning what it tells everyone about your personality, even a drum circle, and a croquet tournament. Some of these were “fun,” I learned from others, but I’m not sure any had as much impact as the time…
I was talking to a CEO last week, and the story she told me fit a pattern I’ve been thinking about. She had been running her business for about 7 years. During that time, she found a niche, got focused on it, and the business grew. She’s now at the point where she understands the…
For about 5 years I was a solo parent of 3 school aged kids. During that same period I was starting my consulting business. It was a busy time! I spent a tremendous percentage of my of time feeling like I was behind, under resourced, and generally failing. This was not a situation that cultivates…
Twenty-five years ago this month, I was unceremoniously dumped out of the corporate world. While I had job offers, I knew some of what didn’t work in that last job would still be there in these new ones, so I decided to try something else. I chose to bet on myself. The early days of…
Is the drive to achieve a powerful motivator for you? If so, it’s likely been a positive force in your life–that drive, along with grit and hard work, has likely brought you acclaim and success. But, I’ll bet that no matter how hard you work, or how much you’ve achieved, you’re still pushing for more….
My last message, “The Displaced CEO,” elicited a strong reaction. Many of you replied to that email, telling me how attracted you are to the tactical, short-term priorities and how difficult it is to stay in the Architect’s seat. One CEO was even more pointed. She said, “I want to sit in the heavy silence of…
In most organizations, attention aligns in layers. Frontline staff solve today’s problems. Managers handle the month. Directors own the year. But there is only one role in the company designed to look over the horizon. To identify where the market is going and how we will win there. That is the role of the Architect….