We are all witnesses and participants in the English expression: “May you live in interesting times.” Eighteen months ago, who could have anticipated the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought an immediate shift for many people to work remotely. During this time, organizations hired many people who had not yet stepped into the office […]
Blogs from this Author
Top 6 Outcomes of a Successful Return-to-Office Program
Lately, I hear and read multiple news reports online and in my newsfeed about the challenges and decisions leaders and employees face about the pending “return-to-office.” What is your situation, and what is your level of readiness? Is your organization prepared for people to return to the office? Do you receive consistent messages from your […]
Make Your Boat Swing: Lessons in Leading Change from the 1936 Olympic Men’s Rowing Team
During the past year, leaders have faced numerous challenges while leading their organizations through changes as a result of the pandemic, unrest, and uncertainty. A key challenge for organizations has been learning to effectively and efficiently collaborate in a virtual workplace where all members work together in unison. Rowing, also known as Crew, is a […]
3 Ways to Get Your Change Communications to Soak In
Water is a precious commodity that gives life to plants – just like the way that information and knowledge helps people learn and adapt during times of organizational change. The methods used to share and disseminate information and knowledge throughout the organization play a vital role in the success of the change initiative. If not […]
Mentoring: The Vital 20 Percent in Individual Learning and Change
On December 16, 1675, scientists of the Royal Society gathered to hear Isaac Newton’s new latest theory on the properties of light. Robert Hooke, the Society’s Curator of Experiments was in the audience and proclaimed that the essence of Newton’s paper was already captured in Hooke’s published book and that Newton would benefit from additional […]
On the Sidelines About Microsoft Teams? Decide Today To Be All In!
Are you “All In” with Microsoft Teams? This phrase has become a common question we ask ourselves and others in today’s business vernacular. Years ago, the phrase “All In” was only used by people playing poker when they would bet all their chips on a single hand of cards. Today, the phrase is used to […]
Break the Tug-of-War Mindset with Polarity Management
Is it possible to serve two masters? According to ancient wisdom, we can only serve one master at a time. Otherwise, we will hate one and love the other. However, my manager often reminds me that by the nature of our work as external consultants in a publicly traded company, we must serve two masters. Our first master […]
Overcome the Gravitational Pull of Complacency to Achieve Change
On July 16, 1969, the massive Saturn V rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to deliver the astronauts of Apollo 11 to the moon for the first lunar landing. In a few weeks, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historic event. During liftoff from the launch pad, the rocket’s […]
Sustainable Organizational Change and the Emergence of e-Scooters
The Emergence of the Ubiquitous Electric Scooter I discovered a new way to get around the streets of San Diego a few months ago. While on vacation with my family, I rented and rode my first electric scooter (also known as an e-scooter). If you live or work in an urban downtown area, you have […]
Build an Influencer Spectrum for Successful Organizational Change
What are the first thoughts that come to your mind when you hear the title of “influencer”? For people active on social media, an influencer is someone who has established credibility, a large audience, and the ability to influence others by virtue of their trustworthiness and authenticity (1). The influencer phenomenon has become so big […]
Mapping the Island of California & Other Myths in Leading Change
Living in the great state of Arizona, I see people travel frequently between Phoenix and Southern California. According to the map app on my phone, the California border is only 3 hours away if I drive west on Interstate 10. Plus, my phone gives me written and audio turn-by-turn instructions with a detailed map of […]
Informal Networks Require Leaders to Look Below the Waterline
How do communications and influence flow through your organization? The most obvious and visible method is through formal channels. Leaders in corporate or business-line roles receive information from executives and these leaders cascade the information down the hierarchy through predictable channels like email and town hall and group meetings. The path of these communications can be easily traced down through the lines and boxes of […]