Articles
These are my most helpful articles on my most popular topics.
Leadership
Why do we really resist walking away from jobs and people?Quitting, leaving or de-committing should be a typical part of being alive, not a terrifying part of being employed.
It’s time to get unrealistic about confronting racism. Being realistic ain’t working. The realistic leader views racism as a Black issue to manage rather than a White problem to solve.
Career
Your current resume might be sufficient to get you noticed as a good candidate. But is it working hard enough to communicate why you're the obvious candidate?
The easiest way to tell the difference between a token and a treasure is not how they look but where they are used. Tokens always have conditional acceptance.
The only thing worse than turning down a job opportunity you should have accepted is accepting one you should have rejected. Trust me.
In the heat of the battle for better opportunities, my career instincts are to maximize the title, role, pay and situation for myself. Unfortunately, this means using the same persuasion tools that earned me the job offer to evaluate my job possibilities. Just when I need a coach I'm mentally stuck as a cheerleader, calling plays based on what I feel.
It's only been 2 weeks since my departure from the corporate grind but the countless questions I've received typically fall into 3 categories: Why? Why did you "really" leave your job, especially if you loved it so much? What? What are you going to do now? How? How did you decide to do it?
Perform a quick Google search for advice on exiting or entering a job and you'll find millions of articles dedicated to helping you make the critical hold 'em or fold 'em decision. Most of this guidance, however, provides a very reactive, even passive formula to decision making.
Several years ago in New York City I met a young guy doing fairly big things. Only 5 years out of college, he had been handpicked to lead marketing, public relations and advertising for the retail division of Liz Claiborne, what was then a $4.8 billion Fortune 500 fashion manufacturer. He named his own salary and secured a semi-corner office in the Empire State Building.As Director of Marketing, his leadership peers were at least 10 years his senior and had spent several years in the fashion industry, a new vertical for the young up-and-comer.
In its simplest form, your personal brand is the answer to this all-important question: what do people think about me?Or, stated a more complex way, what equity does my reputation have in the minds of those who matter?For most of us, our personal branding efforts consists primarily of doing a good job, working hard and treating people with respect. After all, this is what leads to promotions and positive job evaluations, right? Maybe, but why leave something so important as your reputation to chance?
Marketing
From Fortune 500 corporations to mom & pop shops, community management is arguably the most pivotal function of any social media team. A brand is the sum of its parts and oftentimes the person behind the social channel becomes the eyes, ears, voice and face of your brand's online footprint.
Asking a marketer to describe their brand’s content strategy is like asking my wife what she wants for dinner. You’ll hear 50 different answers that really only distill down to a handful of choices: FORMAT - “We use video, images and real-time engagement…”
Everything and everyone has a purpose, an intended reason for being created. Birds were born to fly. Fish were formed to swim. Social media was made to________. The word you used to fill in that blank reveals all you need to know about how successful social strategies will be at driving growth in your organization.
Faith
Who decides who is safe, wanted or welcome in American churches? For Black members at predominantly white churches, a simple question can unlock uncomfortable answers. This is my story.
Diversity
Who decides who is safe, wanted or welcome in American churches? For Black members at predominantly white churches, a simple question can unlock uncomfortable answers. This is my story.
Juneteenth is more than Black history or American history. It’s a story that is still being written. We can no longer depend on the decency of a silent majority to set the timetable for freedom. Will America wake up and live up to its promise?
The Black talent you don’t see is a direct reflection of what you don’t do. The talent pipeline that runs dry leads to a well you never watered. I know, I don't want to take about this either.
The easiest way to tell the difference between a token and a treasure is not how they look but where they are used. Tokens always have conditional acceptance.
It’s time to get unrealistic about confronting racism. Being realistic ain’t working. The realistic leader views racism as a Black issue to manage rather than a White problem to solve.
UNFOLLOW University
We have more than enough time. What we lack are clear goals, priorities and values to guide where we spend it.
In 2021, I left the workforce and walked right into the wilderness, taking my wife, my family and my career with me. Two and a half years later, I’ve learned a few things.
In a world of constant distraction, perhaps we’ve overlooked our greatest weapon against discontent: living the life you already have.
Everyone tells you to “fail fast” but no one tells you what to do the next day after failure becomes a reality. I wish someone had told me to look for the second seed.
Are you staying where you’re tolerated or building a place where you’re celebrated? Maybe it’s time to stop talking about diversity and start doing diversity.
Mental health is about facing problems, not fixing people. Learn how to measure, monitor and protect yours.
Life is not a race but we all have a finish line. What legacy will you leave behind and how do you make each day count?
We are all believers. Whatever we rely on most becomes our religion. Who is on your throne?
How do you initiate peace, forgiveness and reconciliation without setting yourself up for more hurt?
Hope is a process, not a feeling. Often, pain creates the conditions for hope to grow. How can leaders support the suffering or grieving?
Weak leaders avoid confrontation. Strong leaders are so comfortable with healthy conflict they promote, protect and model it every day.
Leadership development is a $370 billion global industry. So why do so many competent, motivated people become such weak leaders?
Workaholism is a choice, not a condition. Protecting a brand or business means protecting the energy, focus and clarity of the people who run it.
Culture is defined by the worst behaviors we tolerate, not the best behaviors we celebrate.
Inexperience isn’t an excuse. Being a courageous beginner can be a competitive advantage.
Relationships are the currency of real wealth. Building a financially successful life doesn’t have to come at the expense of your family.
We often don’t know what job will truly satisfy us until we’re dissatisfied. Are you climbing the right ladder?
When your opinions become your identity, it’s unthinkable to abandon your beliefs in the face of new information. Instead, we defend our ideas, deny our critics and celebrate their downfall.
Quitting is a normal part of being alive, not a forbidden part of being employed. Would you reapply for the job you have now?
Management matters. But successful teams need more than competent managers, they require courageous leaders. What do courageous leaders do?
A “perceptionist” chases the perception of perfection. We please and perform to be accepted by others while comparing ourselves to an imaginary standard that doesn’t exist.
Racism no longer requires racists. America doesn’t care about Black people because most white Americans don’t know a Black person.
Knowing your purpose is not the same as having a plan. If you’re like me, a clearly defined “Why” still seems fuzzy. But there’s something just as valuable as knowing your Why.
Courage is a contract with your future self. A decision to pay the price for picking the right fight before you know the cost.
I’ve read almost 500 books. When Work & Family Collide is the only one that presents an actual strategy for establishing priorities and protecting boundaries without sacrificing results.
Your purpose is not singular or linear. Clayton Christensen proposed thinking about purpose as a strategy instead of a discrete, fixed point. “The danger for high-achieving people is that they'll unconsciously allocate their resources to activities that yield the most immediate, tangible accomplishments.”
Be a Rockstar and Read These With Your Co-workers
Today I'll share 5 books that are perfect for reading with your team to simultaneously challenge their mindset while changing how you lead.