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3 Lessons We Learned About Power in 2018

The ugly side of power was on full display in 2018. In fact, it was a banner year for the misuse and abuse of power. We witnessed a parade of powerful men resign or being fired over sexual abuse and misconduct. We saw the popularity of the “strong man autocrat”...

Insiders vs. Outsiders: Why the Open Door Isn’t

Several years ago I coached a leader and her team. They had hired two new team members and thought everything was going well. The new hires had great skills and good attitudes; they were easy to get along with and seemed to gel with the organizational culture. Yet,...

Leading Through the Lens of Power

The hardest part of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you’re perceived to be by others. In the classic fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes” no one dares tell the King that he is naked, except for the lowest ranking person in the...

Building A Better Workplace Culture

Whether in the form of subtle hostility or overt rudeness, sarcasm, gossip, or inappropriate jokes, incivility continues to be a major challenge in the workplace—and in society in general. Research on workplace incivility over the past 20 years reveals that 98% of...

5 Ways to Cultivate Your Personal Power

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you. –Lao Tzu As an executive coach, I’ve had plenty of experience helping clients deal with ineffective leadership in the form of an insecure boss. This isn’t just a boss...

Power Intelligence®: The Link Between Compliance and Commitment

This doesn’t need much explaining, but post #MeToo, the compliance training industry is booming. Andrew Rawson, Chief Learning Officer of compliance training company Traliant, reported a 150% increase in demand for training since the wave of high-profile harassment...

Building Your Base of Power

Whether you closely followed this year’s Winter Olympics or simply caught snippets on TV or social media, it’s hard not to be thrilled by the performances of the world’s greatest athletes. My favorite moment came when Ester Ledecka from the Czech Republic, ranked 43rd...

Mind the Gap

Humans are often irrational. And why shouldn’t we be? After all, reason is just one of our many cognitive abilities. But sometimes irrationality is troublesome. Consider this foible: what we feel, we tend to think of as real. For instance, if I was on a subway and the...

The Cost of Doing Business With You

"It is truly strange how long it takes to get to know oneself. I am now 62 years old, yet just one moment ago I realized that I love lightly toasted bread and loathe bread when it is heavily toasted. For over 60 years, and quite unconsciously, I have been experiencing...

The Hero Trap

A few years ago, I worked with an extremely intelligent CEO named Robert (not his real name). Robert had just taken over the reins of a startup, and under his guidance, the company doubled its revenue and added over 35 new positions. In that year, Robert changed, too....

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