More Leadership Tips

It’s Time For Your Personal Year End Review

There’s one more task to add to your year-end retrospective reviews and planning for next year: your personal review. This isn’t about reflecting on your business goals, like achieving product

5 Reminders On A Hard Day

The founders I coach run very different companies, but they have a few things in common. They’re all dealing with an at times overwhelming amount of change and transition. They’re

What’s In Your Way?

A founder I’ve been working with–I’ll call her Alice–was noticeably frustrated when she arrived at a recent coaching session. Despite months of effort, she still couldn’t master her inbox. Each

How To Rewrite Your (Emotionally Charged) Story

Ever notice the stories you create when you’re dealing with an emotionally charged issue? That was me this weekend. Before I knew it, my imagination had woven a story that

What Undisciplined Meetings Are Costing You

Let’s imagine a scene. Team members filter into a conference room for five minutes. This is followed by another few minutes of chit chat. In the midst of casual conversation,
Photo by Jenny Ueberberg on Unsplash

Discover These 6 Things From Founder Feedback

When was the last time you wondered how your team really feels about you as their leader? Does the thought of finding out evoke curiosity or give you a pit

Great Company Cultures Are Made, Not Bought.

A new founder was venting to me recently that she can’t afford an impressive office space for her growing team. As a result, she lamented, her company’s culture was clearly

Here’s What A Great Company Culture Sounds Like

We’ve all heard the glossy stories of companies that are celebrated for their impressive company culture. But here’s a well-kept secret: some of the best cultures can be found in

How to Include Your Team in Your Strategic Planning Process

There’s another way strategic planning is like sailing: You have to inspire your crew for the journey ahead. For tactical purposes, you tell your people where they’re going so they

3 Key Questions for Annual Strategic Planning

Earlier, I shared my philosophy that strategic planning is a lot like sailing. When you’re under sail, conditions can change quickly. You frequently need to revise and refactor your plans

Try Thinking of Strategic Planning Like Sailing

“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails” – Dolly Parton   Here on the New England coast, I’ve sailed my whole life. So whenever I’m looking

How Founders Can Defeat Self-Doubt For Good

A founder I coach reached out to me with an all-too-common pain point. A negative comment on her company Facebook page sent her into a tailspin–not only wasting a workday,

How To Be A Good Boss During An Unsettled Time

As a leader who cares about your people, one of your goals in unprecedented times, is to be a good boss; in other words, to guide your team and help

How To Create A Positive Feedback Process For You And Your Team

The first feedback process I was ever a part of also happened to be the best.   I was fresh out of grad school and part of a small team

1 Communication Secret of Successful Leaders

Even when I’m driving in my car listening to the news, I focus on how leaders share their ideas and opinions. The most effective messages focus on mutual purpose, and

2 Questions for Essential Employee Feedback

It’s 2 AM on a Saturday and you’re facing another sleepless night. Things with your company have been moving so fast lately that you feel like you’re losing your handle

Introducing Founder Connect

“Honestly, I’m petrified I’m gonna fuck it all up. Please tell me that other people you work with feel this way too.”   That was the start of my first

3 Reasons Why Your Team Doesn’t Tell You the Truth When You Need to Hear It Most

Running a company can be thrilling and fulfilling. It can also be humbling and exhausting, especially when things aren’t going well.    You know those moments: When your team drops

How To Run An All-Hands Call: A Case Study

In the early days, it’s easy for you and your small team to know exactly what’s most important. Energy is high and collaboration seems to just happen, without putting too

7 Strategies for Leading Your Company Through Tough Times

Every founder faces tough moments–it’s inevitable. It could be that your strategy isn’t getting the results you were desperately counting on. Or, new users and your bottom line are lagging.
Office environment strategy

Get Back in Control: of your time, your team and your customers

Last week, I wrapped up the Assessment phase with a founder and his leadership team. This is where we go deep and inventory everything the company has that relates to