About 20 years ago, when I was teaching at the Air Force Academy, I walked into my office one January morning to find an envelope on my desk. Inside was a birthday card, which was not too unusual since it was my birthday. What WAS unusual was that it was from the brigadier general under […]

Making decisions is one of the key elements of leadership. When all is said and done, that’s what you get paid to do. While it’s important to have technical skills and an understanding of business needs, the real usefulness of your knowledge lies in terms of helping you make decisions. Your employees create the product, […]

“Why, why, WHY would they do that????” How many times have you asked that question? How many times have you yelled it? When one of your employees does or suggests something that seems completely irrational, or when they refuse to accept what you know to be a perfectly logical idea, you might wonder why they […]

There is a lot to be said for getting positive feedback from your boss and your peers. Your employees probably didn’t enter their field to have someone patting them on the back, but still, it’s nice to know when your talents are recognized and appreciated. You should look for ways to acknowledge the talent that […]

It’s exciting to bring a rock star into your company. No, no, not Mick Jagger. We are talking about someone big in your field, someone who is well known, with a lot of talent, in high demand…and you’ve got ’em. You hire a rock star because they can do great things for you, but a […]