LeaderSHOP

In today’s workplace, employee appreciation is more than a feel-good gesture. It’s a strategic imperative. Unlike employee satisfaction, which reflects how content someone feels, or engagement, which measures emotional investment in their work, appreciation speaks directly to being seen, valued, and acknowledged. It’s the human heartbeat behind retention, motivation, and culture. When leaders cons...

Ep 27: Jennifer Moss – Confronting burnout and rediscovering purpose Back in the old days—you know, pre-pandemic—“burnout” was a term often tossed around to describe the condition of people who were simply tired of (or from) their jobs. In today’s workplace, burnout is a real deal condition that’s dangerously affecting millions of people. In addition to the horrendous cost to employee engagement a...

If you’re considering a job change – whatever you do, resist the temptation to “flood the zone” with applications. To stand out, you must be strategic in building your online brand, networking, interviewing, and negotiating. Rather than seeking out opportunities, your focus should be on choosing among them. That’s the counsel of Madeline Mann. She’s a former HR recruiter who has spun her insider k...

Many in the so-called Why Generation—comprised of the Millennials and Gen Zs—are ambitious and entrepreneurial. They are bright and creative. They are kind and generous. They are our future. So, shouldn’t we do everything possible to help them find their way in the marketplace of ideas and worthy work? Mark Perna thinks so. He’s an expert in retention and performance issues and in how to empower u...

Unless you’ve been asleep under a rock, you know that the modern workplace has undergone a seismic shift: * For many people, remote work has become the norm. * Digital collaboration tools have replaced many in-person meetings. * The lines between work and home have been blurred. While these changes have offered flexibility and new opportunities, the’vey also introduced a silent but growing crisis:...

Are the people in your organization enthusiastically engaged in doing the make-a-difference work that best benefits your stakeholders? How about you? Are you happily engaged in your work, or on Saturdays are you already dreading Monday? Do you sometimes feel overloaded and overwhelmed at work? Chester Elton understands. He’s studied workplace culture for decades and is a trusted coach to leaders i...

Are you working too much but feel like it’s never enough? Do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list that resembles a cruel game of Whac-a-Mole? Do you know in your heart of hearts that you need to take better care of yourself … but you can’t seem to find the time? Dr. Tasha Eurich can help. She’s an organizational psychologist, researcher, and principal of an executive development firm. Tasha coa...

Believe it or not, social isolation is a leading cause of death—ahead of high blood pressure, fast foods, alcohol, and obesity. People need meaning in their work. They need a sense of belonging. They need compelling answers to their “why” questions. Like most humans, workers listen to that internal radio station WIIFM—“What’s In It For Me?” David Ulrich offers wise insights on how to create a work...

For countless reasons, more and more people are leaving the work-for-someone-else world and hanging up their own shingles. But without proper planning and execution, the road to entrepreneurship can be bumpy and even treacherous. Cynthia Kay provides excellent guidance. Herself a successful entrepreneur, she’s founder of an award-winning media production and communications firm and serves clients...

As the saying goes, only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best. Poor leaders just maintain mediocrity. Harsh words, perhaps. But in this age of sound bites and image control, true and sustainable performance excellence seems to be the exception, not the norm. Fortunately, there are some excellent leadership practitioners out there who are willing and able to challenge mediocrity head-...

Psychological safety—the belief that one can speak up, take risks, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation—is a cornerstone of high-performing teams and healthy relationships. Dr. Amy Edmondson, a renowned Harvard leadership professor, is at the forefront of this field, demonstrating how environments of trust and open communication drive innovation, learning, and resilience. I...

Asking good questions is a fundamental part of learning and discovery. Good questions can prompt people to challenge their own assumptions. Good questions can open the floodgates of fresh ideas. Good questions can help turn casual chitchat into meaningful conversation. The good news? Asking good questions is a skill that can be developed. Bob Tiede knows this better than most. He’s spent decades s...

Whether you’re a boss now or hope to be in the future, Sabina Nawaz can help. Executive coach to thousands of business leaders—including Bill Gates and others whose names you would recognize—Sabina answers many of the questions you should be asking: * What are the make-a-difference factors between managers who become superstars and those who crash and burn? * Why does getting promoted present one...

Early in his career, Guy Kawasaki worked closely with the legendary Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple. In fact, Guy was designated as chief evangelist for the iconic Macintosh computer. Today he fills that same role for online graphic design app Canva and is creator and host of a popular podcast. The bestselling author of 16 books, Guy teaches entrepreneurship at two universities, is a highly succes...

In today’s competitive business environment, being “good” at work is simply not enough. To stand out from the crowd, you must have the tools to communicate effectively as you collaborate, give and receive feedback, and highlight your value and success. Still, some people get lulled into complacency about their marketability. After all, they may reason, jobs are so plentiful it's easy to pick and c...

“People are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.” That may sound like a line from a comedian. But it’s actually from Bertrand Russell. You know—the British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, essayist, social critic and Nobel laureate. Not known for comedy. Intentionally or not, Russell provided a fair description of what often occurs in organizational culture...

You’ve heard it said, and you know it’s true: Employees don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses. For many people, the primary ingredient in job satisfaction is not the quality of food in the lunchroom. It’s not the office layout or equipment. It’s not even the workload or salary or benefits. It’s the relationship with the boss. In fact, one study showed that 65% of workers surveyed would choose a new bo...

Willie Pietersen has the street cred to earn the attention of anyone interested in leadership. In addition to his teaching at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, he’s been a consultant to some of the world’s best-known organizations, ranging from Ericsson and Johnson & Johnson to ExxonMobile and the Girl Scouts of America. This former Rhodes scholar has also served as chief executiv...

As Oprah Winfrey has said, “a mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope that’s inside you.” Like many of us, Dana Perino has been blessed to have such people in her life. She grew up in Wyoming and Colorado. Then, in a series of events that were nothing short of serendipity (if not destiny), she wound up in Washington, D.C. As she has said, she was basically a cowgirl who went east. Her pro...

An estimated 55 million meetings occur in the U.S. workplace every day. And studies show that 90% of meeting attendees daydream during the meetings. What a waste of time and energy! Dr. Steven Rogelberg has come to the rescue. He’s an organizational psychologist whose pioneering research on meetings has been lauded around the globe and featured by top media outlets. His counsel is sought by many F...

Jessica Chen grew up in a “Quiet Culture” household where deference, humility, harmony, and single-minded hard work were both expected and praised. Worthy as those traits are, they seemed incompatible with much of what she found in the “Loud Culture” of today’s workplace. The result was that early in her career she felt underappreciated, passed over for opportunities and promotions. Stuck. Today,...

In today’s highly competitive hustle culture, maintaining even a semblance of “balance” is more challenging than ever. The really smart people have discovered that direction is more important than speed . One of those really smart people is Bill Geroge. He’s former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology company. Under Bill’s leadership, the company’s market capitaliz...

In some workplaces, “leadership development” is all about equipping people to influence others. That’s a virtuous goal, but it often misses a crucial reality: to be genuinely effective in leading others, you must first master the challenge of leading yourself. Heather Younger understands that reality. She’s a celebrated workplace culture and employee engagement expert who’s written several bestsel...

“We are living an earned life when the choices, risks, and effort we make in each moment align with an overarching purpose in our lives, regardless of the eventual outcome.” That’s Marshall Goldsmith’s definition of an “earned” life. Of course that pesky final phrase—“regardless of the eventual outcome”—is a stumbling block for many people. But Marshall offers simple approaches that accommodate bo...

In a crowded and noisy world, it’s sometimes hard to get your ideas heard. You want to stand out and make meaningful contributions, but you also want to avoid coming across as a self-promoter. Dorie Clark can help. As the New York Times has reported, Dorie is “an expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives.” Dorie is widely regarded as one of the top business thinkers...