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Leadership and Life Blog
Quick tips, ideas, and stories that won't take much time to read and might help you consider new ways forward. We will cover leadership and life topics, which will be honest, vulnerable, and, at times, probably controversial. Feedback is welcome. The views expressed are those of the authors, and while we encourage debate, we ask for respect in any comments. If there are topics you'd like covered, we take suggestions too!
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Don't blend in
Find and lead from your strengths by being yourself. Be authentic, and recognize your strengths can be magnified by working with others...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 31, 2023
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Band together
No one should have to be strong all the time. Those who appear most solid need a listening ear. If someone comes to you and is open and...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 26, 2023
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The whole role
You wouldn't go to a doctor or dentist who has yet to be adequately trained, so why do we send so many new managers into roles without...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 23, 2023
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Repurposed
A fallen tree may no longer grow and live its own life, but it can easily become a shelter for animals and insects, forts for kids, or...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 19, 2023
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Just because you can?
Think about what you need as a senior leader. Employees are likelier to jump through hoops to do what you ask. Someone will stay late,...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 17, 2023
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Stormy decisions
Clouds come and go. Sometimes they bring rain, wind, and destruction, but other times they bring relief from drought and wildfires or...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 12, 2023
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Making good from the bad
Enabling poor behavior is just as bad as having poor behavior. Difficult conversations and repercussions are never easy, but allowing...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 11, 2023
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One size fits all
"If we do it for Sally, we should do it for Ally too." Well, then, what about Cally? Next thing, you are rewarding many for the...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 5, 2023
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Compromise
What are the stakes? Sometimes we won't compromise because of resentment, righteousness, or fatigue. Take a step back and take a break if...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 4, 2023
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Do vs. Ask
Shifting your mindset from a doer to a manager/leader can be challenging. One common pitfall is not sharing your projects and knowledge....

Lisa Pickard
Jan 2, 2023
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No news is not good news
There are all kinds of leaders: under-sharers, selective-sharers, I thought I shared-sharers, I thought someone else shared that-sharers,...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 29, 2022
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Working for culture
Good culture is positive, feedback-based, and evolving. It is not late-night parties, free lunches or swag, and living in the past. It is...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 21, 2022
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Same thing, different meeting
You are ceding control if you spend multiple meetings discussing the same topic and don't create an action plan to address it. This is...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 20, 2022
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Discuss, Decide, Support
Leadership teams need unity. If employees find a "friendly" leader who will engage in backdoor channeling or dissent, it undermines...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 19, 2022
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Time for a change
Lots of studies have been done on the mental load women carry. While not precisely a gender issue, flexibility in the workplace may...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 15, 2022
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Respect doesn't require agreement
Kenny Rogers sang*: "... know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run" While he's singing...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 14, 2022
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Need to know
Transparency and inclusion in decision-making are valuable tools for employee engagement. Do not confuse this with employees needing to...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 13, 2022
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New starts
Starting new things is hard—the first day of school, a new job, a new house, or meeting new people. For most of us, there's a feeling of...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 8, 2022
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Is it me?
Concern can be disguised as insecurity. A high-performing employee who reads an email sent to the whole company about areas of...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 6, 2022
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The need for new
Sometimes the best way to get new ideas is to find someone new. Hire from the outside, expand your peer group, or network with a...

Lisa Pickard
Dec 1, 2022
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