READ STEVE'S BLOG POSTS
The Question That No One is Asking
The inability and unwillingness of our President and his administration to lead America’s response to Covid-19, one of the most serious crises in our history, has by default forced each state to determine its’ own unique response. This total lack of leadership has contributed to over 100,000 American lives lost and will neither solve the short-term…
Two Critical Lessons Leaders Can Learn from the Boeing 737 MAX Crashes
“Having two crashes in rapid succession with no survivors is really unprecedented in modern aviation history,” said Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III, the retired pilot who landed a jet in the Hudson River, as reported in the New York Times on May 15, 2019. He went to say, “This is going to be a huge hit…
There are 363 Days Left in 2019. What’s Your Plan?
While everyone is making New Year’s resolutions that they know will never happen, you might be better served by taking specific actions that actually do work. As a leader, there is nothing more important than making sure you are performing at the top of your game as this is essential for driving change in your organization. And no…
3 Ways You Can Blow Up Silos in Your Company
The only place where silos work well is on a farm, most likely storing grain after it has been harvested. Unfortunately, silos have been around in large organizations for decades – in companies, universities, hospital systems, religious organizations – basically everywhere. Silos are the antithesis of collaboration, cooperation and any other activity that promotes leveraging…
5 Soft Skills That Will Improve Your Team’s Performance
Applicants for new jobs focus on their core skills when they post for a job, but what about their soft skills? These skills help a person succeed in the workplace in terms of commitment, collaboration, communication and other areas beyond their functional skills. Here are 5 skills that you as the leader can coach your…
What the Facebook Crisis Can Teach Leaders About How to Manage Crises
At 2.2 billion users, Facebook is by far the largest social media network on the planet. The company is currently worth $458 billion, down approximately 16% from its’ high in February 2018. Prior to its IPO, Facebook instituted a control structure giving its founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, effective control of approximately 60% of the…
What Could The Leaders of Foot Locker, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Other Retailers Have Done Differently?
Regrettably, it has become a regular occurrence to hear news stories about major retailers either closing down hundreds of locations or shutting down entirely. The most recent example is Toys ‘R’ Us, which announced the total liquidation of both Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us properties. According to CNN Money, over 31,000 employees are losing…
Don’t Hire from the Outside: 5 Tips to Engage with Your Teams To Be Ready for the Next Challenge
I have participated in and reviewed hundreds of succession planning sessions whose results indicated that there were several qualified leaders ready to step in to most, if not all key positions should they become vacant. While I have not tracked the data, my belief is that outsiders were brought in more than half of the time.…
EQ Helps Leaders More than IQ: Learn How These 4 Scenarios Can Help You Become A Better Leader
Picture this: you have an exceptional employee who has proven herself time and time again. She shows an outstanding work ethic, meets all deadlines, and rarely ever uses PTO. You expect great things from her and she always delivers. Then, out of the blue, she announces her resignation. Clearly surprised, you speak with the employees…
Avoid Burnout: 4 Habits to Change Your Life As A Leader
If you feel that you have successfully balanced your work life, family and social and everything that is important to you, stop reading this article. If you continued reading, you’re like most people who are often totally consumed by work, forcing everything else in your life to take a back seat. This was not a…