Most leaders don’t come to coaching because things are falling apart. They come because even though things are working, they’re not working as well as they could. They’re competent. Trusted. Respected. And still, something feels off. Not urgent. Not dramatic. Just persistent. • The role feels heavier than expected • Decisions take more energy than…

Empathy isn’t about being nice. It’s knowing your teammate well enough to understand what they might be feeling in the moment, not how you’d feel in their place. That insight doesn’t replace candor. It sharpens it. It helps you deliver the feedback they need in a way they can actually use. That’s the kind of…

Alignment doesn’t come from telling people what to care about. It comes from helping them connect what they already care about to the mission. Here’s something we do with each ready room in LRR: (🎥 Check out the clip: https://lnkd.in/eiMC8CwR) Ask your team to reflect: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘦…

Leaders talk a lot about giving feedback. But how often are you getting it? The higher you climb, the harder it becomes to receive honest input. People hesitate. They soften the truth. That’s why, as Tom Murray shared during our recent Leadership Ready Room Chats, sometimes you have to fight for feedback. He literally scheduled…

There’s a moment when achievement stops being enough. Years ago, my commanding officer asked me a simple question: “Why do you want to be a commanding officer?” I paused for a bit then said, “Because it’s the next step.” That’s when he said something that stuck with me, not word for word, but the message…

You don’t always have to be in “go mode” to make progress. Took a mid-afternoon walk down to the beach to recharge a bit yesterday. No agenda. No headphones. Just fresh air, sunshine, and space to breathe. I call this “receive mode.” It’s the opposite of “go mode.” It’s when I stop thinking about the…

Tough times reveal your default mode. Do you get anxious? Withdraw? Overreact? I learned that without self-awareness, those automatic reactions run the show. Working with a coach helped me understand my values, strengths, and tendencies, and just as importantly, where I might get in my own way. That awareness enabled me to pause before reacting.…

Boundaries aren’t simply walls. They’re protection. They protect you. They protect the other person. They protect what’s most important. And, you can’t set boundaries well if you don’t know what you’re protecting in the first place. That takes clarity. • What do you need to protect? • Why does it matter? • What do you…

How much of your week is spent on things that actually energize you? Not the things someone else told you should care about. The things you know you’re meant to be doing. If you’re a leader and you’re not spending time on these energy-giving activities, you’re running the risk of burnout. And you’re likely not…