Stop Telling People to Cheer Up

Happiness all the time is an oppressive fantasy.

Sometimes it’s better to clam up than to say “cheer up.” Sadness has legitimate reasons.

When happiness is your goal, painful emotions feel like failure.

Every leader experiences dark emotions. Listen closely to the wisdom of your dark friend.

Why Learning is Hard

Your heart opens to learning when you celebrate the success of others.

Suppose you resent a colleague’s promotion. You complain they’re a brown-noser. Playing politics won them advancement. The thought of learning from their promotion offends you.

Jealousy shrinks your brain. Resentment chokes growth.

MORE…

Bosses Who Give Feedback Like Cats

Incompetent bosses give feedback like a cat coughs up a hairball. How to Give Ridiculous Feedback #1. Give Tumbleweed Compliments: Blow through the room with vague praise: “You’re doing good. What is it… Continue reading

7 Ways to Build Resilient Teams

Some teams crumble. Others devour each other. Trouble reveals strength. Resilient teams adapt, recover, and emerge from crisis stronger.

Personal grit isn’t team resilience.

Teams with grit don’t simply survive disruption; they get better.

Here’s how to build resilient teams that thrive under pressure.

The Neglected Secret of Growing Through Hardship

Nietzsche believed in the transformative power of suffering. He wrote, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But not everyone rises. Growing through hardship is possible but not guaranteed.

Adversity becomes a festering wound for about +/- 40%*. Their souls shrivel. Their lives circle suffering. They’ve been wronged. Life is unfair.

The secret of growing through hardship…

How to Run Lousy Meetings

71% of the executives surveyed say meetings are unproductive and inefficient. (HBR)*

Responsibility for great meetings always lies with the person who calls them.

Great meetings require preparation. If you just show up, yours probably suck.

Here’s how to run lousy meetings like a pro!

PS Five action steps to fix lousy meetings included.