From the Blog...
You Set the Temperature. The SBI Feedback Framework Changes It.
It’s the end of September, and Houston’s still sitting in the 90s for daytime highs. The season changed on paper, but the air didn’t move.
You Are the Thermostat
For years, people said “ugh” when I told them what I did for a living. I managed complaints—discrimination, retaliation, harassment—filed through channels outside the organization’s walls.
What that work taught me over two decades wasn’t what you’d expect: the complaint was rarely the full story. A closer look almost always revealed something underneath it — a pattern of leadership behavior that never would have risen to the level of a formal claim on its own.
If you lead people, you are not observing the temperature in your organization. You’re setting it.
Half a Year In. Have You Earned the Room Yet?
July has a way of getting honest with you.
The goals you set in January are no longer theoretical. The promotion conversation. The visibility. The leadership presence you committed to developing. Where are they?
In this article, I introduce the Presence. Power. Presentation.℠ Framework — built for the high-performing leader at an inflection point, whether you are preparing for the next room, navigating a transition, or recalibrating your impact once you arrive.
The second half the year starts now. Have you earned the room yet?
The Leader Who Left No Room
You’ve seen this leader. Brilliant. Prepared. Committed to results. And completely unaware of the silence they’ve created in every room they lead.
In this article, I introduce the Model. Mentor. Multiply. Leadership℠ Framework, a three-pillar approach to developing leaders who don’t just perform at the next level, but build organizations that sustain performance beyond their presence.
If the rooms in your organization have gone quiet, this is a conversation worth having sooner, rather than later.
Take the Backpack Off
AI isn’t replacing mid-level leaders, but redefining them. Here’s what the shift looks like, and three practical tips to help you lead through it.
Power Your Leadership Effectiveness with Purpose and Vision
As the year winds down, leaders often rush into planning mode—setting goals, defining priorities, and preparing for what’s next. Yet one of the most strategic leadership moves happens before planning begins: pausing to reflect on who you are as a leader and how you want to show up in the year ahead.
Year-end reflection creates space to realign your purpose—your reason for being—and refine your vision—the leadership future you aim to create. This intentional pause isn’t about looking backward; it’s about strengthening clarity, presence, and leadership effectiveness moving forward.
A Collaborative Performance Review: 7 Habits That Transform Evaluation into Engagement
A truly collaborative performance review moves beyond ratings and forms—it strengthens trust, deepens connection, and sparks meaningful dialogue. When leaders shift from “conducting evaluations” to leading performance conversations, they create clarity, engagement, and forward momentum. These seven habits show how intentional leadership transforms the review process into a decisive moment of partnership, development, and motivation.
Managing Up: A Leadership Skill That Elevates Everyone
Managing up isn’t about workplace politics—it’s about leadership that strengthens relationships, elevates teams, and drives business results. Discover practical steps to make it work
Future-Proof Your Leadership Effectiveness
Leadership effectiveness isn’t guaranteed. Market shifts, AI disruption, and evolving workforce expectations demand leaders who adapt. Discover five ways to future-proof your leadership so you can remain relevant, resilient, and ready for the future of work.
Trust Is Developed, Not Declared: Build Trust Through Every Interaction
During organizational changes, such as mergers, acquisitions, organizational restructures, and the like, employees observe how leaders communicate, follow through, and demonstrate the company’s values. When leaders fail to honor their spoken or written commitments, it signals a cultural shift that can erode confidence and trust.
This article offers microactions leaders can take to foster trust, create psychological safety, and elevate employee engagement.
Leadership Has a Rhythm: Lessons from Shape-Note Singing
Leadership has a rhythm. Leadership rhythm occurs when the pulse of a team beats in concert, a meeting clicks on all cylinders, or collaboration engaging
Empathy Is Not a Weakness: It’s a Leadership Edge
This article explores how empathy strengthens leadership by helping leaders navigate tough decisions, build trust, and maintain engagement during change. Far from being a weakness, empathy is a powerful leadership edge that fosters connection, accountability, and resilience in today’s evolving workplace.
Equip the Core: Management Development Sustains Performance Through Disruption
Organizations are in the throes of monumental change. Management training and development is typically the first thing eliminated when massive organizational change happens, opting for
The Empathy Tax: Successful Leaders Set Boundaries Without Sacrificing Compassion
Alex, a regional bank senior leader, loves interacting with people and realizes that team members’ engagement is integral to business success. This awareness shows in
Leadership Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle Process: Masterminding Success
Recently, I revisited a familiar pastime—assembling jigsaw puzzles. Surprisingly, this simple yet engaging activity provided practical insights into building strong, dynamic teams. Like every team