How to respond when employees dismiss every new initiative
Ask which past commitments employees expect you to break again. Verify that history and make a smaller, credible commitment before asking for enthusiasm ab...
The journal
Articles
Essays on judgment, influence, and what happens when the stakes get personal.
Is your team disengaged, overloaded, or unclear on priorities?
Investigate low energy through the work before labeling employees disengaged or burned out.
How to give employees autonomy without losing accountability
Give employees autonomy by defining the outcomes and constraints while allowing meaningful choice over how to deliver.
Is your anxiety changing how the executive team behaves?
Look for changes in interruptions, response deadlines, and escalation behavior around your own conduct. Compare specific meetings and follow-up choices bef...
Why business success can make a founder feel less secure
Business success can expand a founder’s commitments and change the comparisons used to judge progress.
How to delegate when you fear losing control as CEO
Delegate through bounded decisions with clear outcomes and review points.
How to respond when procurement treats your offer as a commodity
Respond to procurement price pressure with a verifiable comparison of the complete delivery commitment.
What to say when a buyer asks for a discount immediately
When a buyer asks for an immediate discount, clarify what drives the request before changing terms.
What to ask after losing a competitive enterprise deal
Ask the buyer how the decision was made and what criteria mattered at each stage. Compare that account with your records before concluding that price, prod...