Professional Development

How many times have you and your co-workers discussed a process in your organization and thought, “It would be better if we could change … (insert clunky or inefficient process here).” These conversations tend to happen at after-work happy hours and often involve cocktail napkins. Sound familiar? It’s easier to have great ideas when we […]

Taking a step back: Does less responsibility lead to more fulfillment? For many seasoned leaders facing burnout, the idea of stepping back into an individual-contributor role can be tempting. The memory of simpler days, when success was measured by personal output rather than team performance, and evenings were free from after-hours emails, can be alluring. […]

I recently worked with a 30-person information-technology firm based here in central Illinois to benchmark its compensation and time off package. Working on this project and needing to strike the right notes from a compensation perspective had me humming songs about money, like the Donna Summer classic, “She Works Hard for the Money.” Just for […]

My son signed up for track and field recently. Not to brag, but back in my day I anchored a state-qualifying, school-record-breaking 4×400-meter relay team. As my son lined up for his first attempt at the same race, I got to thinking about what it means to pass the baton. In today’s fast-paced and increasingly […]

I was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. If you’ve been to Lambeau Field, you know that the energy of the crowd and the overall aura is unparalleled. If you sit down next to me at a Packers’ game wearing green and gold or with a big block of foam cheese on your head, it doesn’t […]

Flu season is upon us, but do you know what’s just as contagious as the flu? Motivation. A recent Johns Hopkins University study found that when we see other people challenging themselves and achieving “exceptional success,” we’re more likely to do the same. This is tied to motivation – when you see others do something, […]

In my son’s jiujitsu practice, coaches help competitors remain calm under pressure. In fact, emotional outbursts in a match result in disqualification. Once your emotions take over, you’ve lost the ability for rational problem-solving and decision-making. This is advice I’m leaning heavily into these days (takes deep breath). It seems like any conversation is just […]

I fancy myself a pretty funny person. In my house we don’t tell dad jokes; the punny zingers are usually delivered by mom and are met with exaggerated eye rolls (and for an especially good one, exasperated sighs) by my 12 and 14-year-old sons. I often use humor to lighten a tense mood, ensure others […]

Ever been on a bad first date? One where the person you were meeting didn’t look like their dating app picture, the conversation was awkward and you didn’t have anything in common? After two hours of fumbling your way through an uncomfortable dinner, would you want to go back to the dating app and repeat […]

Imagine building your small business over a period of 20 or 30 years of hard work, then, a few years ahead of your planned retirement, a health scare takes you away from work for several months. During your time away, your team doesn’t know how to handle all aspects of the business, customer service suffers […]