I once worked with a company where everyone did their job—but nothing more. Deadlines were met, but barely.Ideas were shared, but only safe ones.Decisions were made, but always the easy ones. When I asked the leadership team why, they shrugged. “Our people are okay with […]
Years ago, a company hired me to train their managers in leadership. They had the budget. They had eager participants. They had a full schedule of workshops. But when I asked, “What do you want these leaders to achieve?” the HR director hesitated. “We want
I once worked with a company whose employees were busy—but lost. The CEO kept saying, “We need to move faster! We need to innovate!” but when I asked the team what that meant, they shrugged. “We’re just trying to keep up.” They weren’t lazy. They
I once worked with a CEO who was overwhelmed. His calendar was packed with back-to-back meetings. His inbox? A bottomless pit. His leadership team? Constantly busy but not moving the company forward. “I feel like I’m working harder than ever,” he told me, “but nothing
Cut Through the Noise: How Leaders Create Focused, High-Impact Teams Read More »
A friend of mine recently walked into a restaurant, sat down, and waited. And waited. And waited. Servers walked past him without acknowledgment. One finally stopped, handed him a menu without eye contact, and walked away. The food was decent, but the experience? Forgettable. He
Most businesses compete on price, features, or speed. They try to be cheaper, faster, or better. But here’s the truth: Anyone can copy a product. Anyone can lower prices. Anyone can improve efficiency. What they can’t easily copy? An unforgettable customer experience. That’s where strategy
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Most leaders think their job is to make their company win. More sales. More market share. More growth. Sounds right, doesn’t it? But here’s the problem—when leaders focus only on winning for themselves, they often lose sight of the customer. And that’s when businesses start
Motivation isn’t what most people think it is. You don’t wake up one day, feel a sudden rush of inspiration, and magically get everything done. That’s not motivation—that’s a Hollywood montage. The real reason high performers stay driven isn’t because they “feel” motivated. It’s because
Motivation: The Ultimate Guide to Playing at Your Best Every Day Read More »
Back in college, I knew a student—let’s call her Mia—who seemed to be everywhere. She was in the debate team. The student council. Three different clubs. A volunteer group. She was always running between meetings, organizing events, and saying yes to everyone who asked for
I once worked with an employee—let’s call him Mark—who was drowning in work. Every time his boss asked, “Can you handle this?” his answer was always the same: “Yes, sure.” At first, Mark seemed like the perfect team player—always available, always willing. But over time,
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At lunch one day, I overheard two employees complaining. “This company is insane,” one said. “They keep piling work on me like I have no life.” The other nodded. “Same here. My boss asked me to take on another project, and of course, I had
When I was a high school teacher, I said yes to everything. I wasn’t just a teacher. I was a class adviser, a debate coach, a campus paper adviser, a yearbook adviser, a scout master, a regular emcee, and more. If someone needed help, I
Most leadership training is built around skills—communication, decision-making, problem-solving. But without a clear strategic focus, skills remain disconnected from real business challenges. If leadership is about driving results, then training must focus on strategies that create impact—not just skills, activities, or frameworks. Here are 10
“What’s wrong with me?” That’s what I kept asking myself. I used to be sharp. Focused. Hungry. The guy who got things done. But then, something changed. Tasks that were once easy started feeling impossible. Even simple emails drained me.I would sit at my desk,
Have you ever walked into the office and felt the energy just… missing? People are at their desks, but no one seems excited. It’s like everyone’s waiting for something to jump-start their day. You’re not alone. One manager I worked with, Karen, felt exactly this
The 5-Minute Morning Routine That Energizes Your Team Read More »
Panic might be your first reaction, but let me tell you a secret: an impromptu speech isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. When you focus on what matters most—the audience—you can turn even a last-minute request into a moment that wows.
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Violence against women isn’t just someone else’s problem—it’s ours. It happens around us, sometimes so subtly we don’t even realize it. But here’s the thing: we can do something about it. Change doesn’t have to start with a grand gesture. It starts in the everyday
End Violence Against Women (How Filipinos Can Help) Read More »
Leadership training doesn’t fail because it’s unnecessary. It fails because it’s uninspiring. As a learning experience designer or trainer, you’re in the business of transformation. But let’s face it—too many leadership programs fall flat. Overloaded slides. Vague objectives. Generic workshops that leaders forget by Monday
Deliver insights that matter. People are bombarded with information every day, so they don’t have time to sift through lengthy explanations. Your audience craves clarity—show them the conclusions first, not the process. Starting with key findings makes your message impactful and ensures it sticks. 1.
Let’s face it: nobody likes wading through dense, overcomplicated writing. In Completed Staff Work (CSW), your goal is to make decisions clear and actionable. Simple, direct language is the fastest path to understanding—and respect. Clarity is power. Here’s how to make your writing as sharp
Good leaders desire a better world for all. But we cannot wait for good leaders to appear. We must strive to become good leaders - and help those around us become good leaders.
Discover ideas, tips, strategies, and tools to engage employees, build teams, train leaders, wow customers, and grow your business.