Every organization has certain jobs that must be done and done well for organizational success. Some of these jobs are dirty. Some are difficult. Some jobs might even be dangerous. …

Janet and I visited several wineries last week in the Tuscany region of Italy with our good friends Georgia and Tom Davis. There was a chill in the air, leaves …

At some point in every leader’s career, there’s a major battle to be fought. In 1975, Pepsi-Cola launched the “Pepsi Challenge” during the Cola Wars and won market share from …

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success,” said Niccolo Machiavelli, “than to take the lead in the introduction …

Business leaders use sports analogies frequently because in sports there are rules, score-keeping, and, barring the occasional tie, winners. In high-performing enterprises, the organization’s values are their rules of engagement. …

Strategic planning season is upon us. That’s the good news. Here’s the bad news: Most strategic plans fail. These plans rarely fail because of misguided strategy or a lack of …

The life and legacy of Ebby Halliday was celebrated last week. She was 104 years young when she died. I was traveling and unable attend her memorial, but was not …

This Saturday is the 30th anniversary of International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Inspiration struck John Baur (Ol’ Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap’n Slappy) of Oregon in 1985 when they …

This past weekend, my daughter Jordan and I traveled to South Bend for the Texas – Notre Dame football game. We’ve had this date circled on our calendar for more …

It’s back to school season. Whether you’re a student or a business executive, the back-to-school vibe is noticeable in classrooms, cubicles and conference rooms as calendars fill more quickly, cooler …

Ten years ago today Tropical Storm Katrina emerged from the Bahamas to reach landfall in Florida before moving back into the Gulf of Mexico and intensifying into a Category 5 …

Last week, Britain’s Daily Express reported that searchers for extraterrestrial life discovered what they believe is evidence of life on Mars based on images taken by NASA’s Curiosity Rover. Most …

In 2009, in the depth of the worldwide recession, I began looking into the factors that separate high-performing companies from all the rest. I knew from my work with successful …

Words—whether read by the eye or heard by the ear—are tools leaders use to create impressions that console, educate, influence and inspire. Gifted leaders have overcome speech impediments (Moses, King …

Think about your team’s response to achieving a long-sought and hard-won objective. Do you take time to celebrate or get right back to business? Does your team’s success inspire vigilance …

Last week I was in Ohio delivering my accountability workshop, so I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Displays of pro football’s early years were interesting. The …

Amazon turns 20 tomorrow. This anniversary means Amazon is one step closer to being your newest competitor. Leaders of business-to-business companies: Pay attention. Fortune magazine calls Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos …

There’s no Blue Bell ice cream this summer. Blue Bell issued a general recall in April after products tested positive for Listeria. The recall forced the company – the nation’s …

For Americans, the month of July is synonymous with celebrating our freedom. Our greatest freedom is the freedom of speech. This freedom-preserved as the First Amendment in our Bill of …

Last week I delivered my accountability workshop to owners, CEOs and key executives over a three-day period in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Kelowna is western Canada’s wine region and Tony …