What Makes Work Culture Change

I heard long ago that confidence doesn't mean "I'm perfect", it means "I'm attempting to be effective, that I'm pretty sure I can help out in this situation."

In this short video, I share how you can redefine confidence to help build community within your team. For example, a good question is many times better than a good answer and can help build community.

If you are a leader seeking to build stronger teams, better conversations, and a culture where everyone feels empowered, this video is worth the watch.

Let's Talk About That

When an opinion comes my way, I can choose to say the words, “Let’s talk about that.” Especially when I am confronted with an opinion I disagree with, or when I just fell into a meeting with a highly vocal, opinionated person… and there are many!

A way to respectfully re-route the conversation may be something like, “I like the word _____ you used. Would you like my take on that?”

Many will talk on and on and on without a seeming glimmer of engaging others. (The author of the book The Sparrow wrote that those who go on and on and on ought to join the support group, On and On Anon!)

One of my colleagues, on long, boring drives that can easily make him sleepy, tunes into talk radio stations he disagrees with. He awakens from his slumber… he just doesn’t have anyone to talk to about it!

How do you redirect a conversation when it starts to feel one‑sided?

#CommunicationSkills #ActiveListening #Leadership #Conversations #EmotionalIntelligence

See one. Do one. Teach one.

We hear this a lot in medicine, but it also applies to leadership.

If you want to truly learn something, teach it. In this short video, I share a simple way to accelerate your growth by leaning into that mindset.

Take a minute to watch the video below:

Signature Stories

Want presentations with your staff to be engaging, even when the content feels dry? In this video, you’ll discover how to bring natural, authentic humor into your meetings without forcing jokes or trying to be a comedian. Learn why the best humor often come from your audience, how small moments can turn into connection, and how personal stories can change the way people engage with you.

If you’ve ever wondered how to loosen up a room, create true interaction, and make your message stick, this is for you.

Watch the video to see how to turn everyday moments into memorable, engaging presentations.

Special Voices

Steve Cathan, formerly of CBS Radio, was recently interviewed about his many years on air. For those of us in Chicago, his voice was a familiar part of daily life, delivering the news at the top of the hour on our local station.

Listening to him reflect on his career, especially in light of the end of CBS Radio, made me realize how much I had taken that steady, distinctive voice for granted over the years.

I’ll miss hearing him.

Are there any voices in your life that have left a lasting impression?

Facts inform. Stories move people.

We talk a lot about the importance of communication, but what truly makes a message stick?

With the passing of Jesse Jackson, I found myself reflecting on a moment shared by one of his collaborators I went to school with, Father Michael Pfleger, who stood alongside him in the fight for justice.

A reporter once asked him a simple question about his time in jail for social activism. His answer wasn’t what you'd expect.

🎥 Take a look at this short video. I share what he said and how it relates to importance of storytelling.

The Essence of an Effective Story

We’ve all heard that storytelling matters in leadership. But here’s what most people get wrong…

They choose stories that are interesting to them, but not to the audience.

I see it all the time. Leaders default to sports analogies because they enjoy them… while half the room is quietly disengaging.

Great storytelling is about being relatable and the most effective stories tend to be the simplest ones about real people.

In this short video, I discuss how you can find the essence of an effective story.

When Opposites Aren’t Opposed

Two things can be true at the same time, even when they seem like opposites. I once heard this from a policy expert when a reporter was trying to pin him down on a political issue. How much of our lives are framed as “this or that,” “either/or,” “yes or no,” or “right and wrong”? These polar opposites may not need to be so rigid. Perhaps two things can exist together. Maybe we can talk with our neighbors without falling into a “me versus them” mindset. Perhaps we can both exist together—not in spite of holding different beliefs, but simply because we can.

What about you—are there two things that can be true at the same time, even though at first blush they seem to be opposites? Alfred Adler suggested that opposites don’t attract—complementaries do. It’s similar to folding your hands together: each finger may appear opposite, yet it complements the others, creating strength.

Candor. Humility. Then Skill.

I recently asked a friend who was hiring a manager what she looks for in a candidate.

She said the first thing she looks for is candor.

The second is humility, someone willing to truly connect with the team they lead.

And third? Technical expertise.

So many people approach interviews in the exact opposite order, leading with what they know, instead of how they lead and collaborate.

Watch this short video and ask yourself...when you talk about what you do, are you just listing your skills…or are you showing people the impact you create and how you work with others?

Support or Solutions?

Two highly driven surgeons I know, both on their second marriage, made a simple agreement before difficult conversations:

They ask each other one question first: “Do you want support, or do you want solutions?”

In this short video, I connect this idea to leadership: When we’re intentional about our approach, in conversations or meetings, we create space for both support and problem-solving. It’s how teams become a community working together.

Take a minute to watch and reflect: What’s your intention when you walk into your next meeting?

Precise Opposite

At a recent psychology conference, I came across a technique from Wes Wingett and Calvin Armerding that can be used in counseling and coaching. While it’s typically for clients, I thought it might work for us as well, even without a therapist or coach.

It goes like this: let’s say I’m experiencing one of the negative emotions (sometimes called “compelling” emotions, since we feel compelled to do something about them). I’m angry, and I go through my day feeling that anger and wishing I weren’t. At that point, I ask myself this question: What is the precise opposite of “angry,” without using the word “angry”?

I might respond, “I’m at peace on this walk,” or “I helped resolve the situation with a bit of courage on my part,” or “I’m back in control of myself without being controlling,” and so on.

What this technique does is create a line from a “felt minus position” to a “perceived plus position.” The question then becomes focused on movement: how will I find peace, resolution, or control? Instead of being stuck in the anger, I’m moving forward toward a better place. It gives me something to do that aligns with that forward movement—which seems a lot better than being angry all day.

Do Your Meetings Feel Like a Classroom?

Leaders set the tone for how their teams think, contribute, and take ownership. I've noticed that too often in meetings it can feel like a 7th-grade classroom—precise, critical, and a little intimidating… where everyone hopes they’re not called on.

There’s a more effective way. 

In this short video, I share a simple leadership practice: start with intention, step back, and return to hear what your team accomplished. This allows teams to build ownership, confidence, and accountability.

Take a moment to watch the video and reflect: How are you shaping the tone of your meetings?

Lead With Excitement Not Nervousness

Early in your leadership journey, it’s easy to let nerves take over. But consider this: nervousness centers on you, excitement focuses on others.

Focus on the audience, the board, the people depending on your perspective. You were invited into that room because you have something of value to offer.

Take a minute to watch this short video, it might change how you walk into your next meeting.

Thank You Notes Can Document

At a recent medical meeting, an accepted approach was discussed for addressing difficult physician behavior—yelling, disrespect toward nurses, mistakes, or more serious concerns requiring “the talk.”

Often called a “coffee cup conversation,” it’s an informal, physician-to-physician discussion. For leaders, it’s a way to tee up the issue, hear the other side, express concern, and work toward a corrective path forward. It’s not the ethics committee, just a conversation over coffee. And it’s not confined to medicine alone; it’s a good way to open ongoing dialogue.

At the meeting, an attorney suggested documenting these conversations so that, if behavior continues, a record exists.

But how do you document a conversation over coffee?

His answer: with a thank you note.

Brilliant.

In it, you thank the person for showing up, for discussing key issues (____, ____, ____), and for agreeing on a way forward. Simple. Clear.

And now you have a record—firm, friendly, and available if needed for the next coffee…or the next ethics meeting.

How Leaders Transform Culture

Culture change doesn’t start in meetings. It starts in the hallway… in the eye contact you make… in the way you acknowledge people.

In this short video, I challenge leaders to rethink how to transform culture and the role they play in it every day. Take a look.

Staying Connected After You Become “the Boss”

When you step into leadership, you can go from “we” and “us” to “they” and “them” almost overnight. You can feel the shift and the disruption that comes with it.

In this video, I share a simple way to stay connected to your team and lead differently.

What is the Real Challenge For You Here?

Favorite coaching question:
What is the real challenge for you here?

It’s a deceptively simple question, and actually one with four-parts.
Emphasize a different word each time, and you’ll uncover a different answer:
- What is the REAL challenge for you here?
- What is the real CHALLENGE for you here?
- What is the real challenge FOR YOU here?
- What is the real challenge for you HERE?

Try it for yourself when your next dilemma presents itself. Which version gives you the clearest path forward to take that next right step?

I coach emerging leaders not only when they feel stuck, but also when they’re ready to grow and move up to that next level.

#LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #EmergingLeaders #CoachingQuestions #GrowthMindset

Start Meetings Better: One Small Change That Works

Most meetings start with an agenda.

But most people show up wondering: What do I get out of this?

In this short reel, I share a simple shift that can completely change the dynamic of your meetings. Watch to learn how one small change can make your meetings more meaningful and effective.

Your First Mentor

Your first mentor—have you reached out lately?

Do they know the impact they had on you?

A teacher, a leader—you know who I’m talking about.

Give them a call.

In my work, I help team members build productive relationships with leaders who may be significantly older or younger than they are. Not through outdated “generational” stereotypes, but through practical, proven human relationship skills.

Real Human Skills

Leadership isn’t about doing it all, and it’s definitely not about getting everything perfect.

It’s about being effective where it really counts…through people.

In this short video, I discuss the shift clinicians should make to build and lead an effective team using real human skills.