Solutions 21 Blog
Check out our latest insights in leadership
Curse of the HiPo-potamus
It’s relatively early in your career and you’re working hard, showing the world what you can do. Maybe you’ve gotten a promotion or had a significant work success, or maybe you have just consistently exceeded the goals others have set for you. Somewhere along the...
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I’m not a mechanic
I like to tell myself I’m mechanically inclined. After all, my undergraduate degree is in Mechanical Engineering, so I fancy myself a mechanic. But I’m not… This past year, my wife’s car needed new brakes. Having the mechanic mentality, I thought I would tackle the...
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I think I know
If you were king for a day, what would be the one change you would make to your organization? If you’re like most folks, you identified a people issue. Maybe you’d want your leaders to communicate more effectively, or you want more feedback from your boss, or you’d...
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Termites and woodpeckers: assessing the internal & external challenges of leadership
As a leader, one of my favorite ways to rejuvenate is getting out in nature and experiencing God’s creation. A few years ago, I took my three sons camping in Redwood National Forest. An opportunity for “man time” with my boys, we took a tent and camping supplies, left...
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Silence is the sound of thinking
Ever get a question in a situation you didn’t expect that catches you completely off guard? It happened to me this past week when a new acquaintance asked one of the more challenging questions about coaching. “How do you know your coaching is working?” I get that...
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Feedback: are you prepared to give it?
Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate real-time, professional feedback. And as a leader, I’ve learned valuable feedback is critical when it comes to personal and professional development. By utilizing performance feedback, a leader positively influences the health...
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The name of the game
Every once and a while, the world of sports and business collide. This is one of those times. And as a retired NFL quarterback - and unbiased, third-party observer - I would be remiss not to discuss the latest power struggle between player and coach. In this...
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The Eisenhower matrix: assessing priorities & taking action
When most people hear the name “Eisenhower,” thoughts of excellence, humility, and stoicism are spurred. And while there is no doubt Dwight D. Eisenhower was one of the most effective leaders our country has ever produced, his success did not come by chance, nor was...
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Organizations aren’t effectively transferring knowledge (and they should be): backed by research
One of the most significant challenges business leaders face is the transfer of knowledge from one generation of workers to the next. With 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring every day, there is extensive institutional value walking out the door. At Solutions 21, we have...
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The wrong question
As I travel across the country speaking with executives about leadership development, I encounter the same question in almost every meeting. The question: “What’s the ROI that we should count on when investing in developing future leaders?” Valid question. I,...
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