This past weekend, the world got one of the best-ever looks at the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights. Personally, I was in northern Minnesota at the time. I forgot my DSLR camera at home but ma

Note to my non-techie audience: This article is a bit more technical than usual, but as always, theres a leadership lesson. This week, Im reflecting on my time as an engineer and am considering what

Is leadership a general skill, or is it context-specific? In other words, does it help to have domain knowledge in the area you are leading, or can a skilled leader lead anything effectively? Ive spe

My 16-year-old son, Nathan, got a job this week at a local fast-food restaurant. His experience reminded me of the stories I hear every week from open-to-work technology professionals looking for th

I need more staff, says the manager, with a look of panic and exhaustion in his eyes. What happens next varies from leader to leader, but usually winds up in the same place: No. This experience is

You are a fantastic leader.Youve got a great team. You gather everyone together in an all-team meeting. You carefully announce and explain your new innovative and strategic initiative. Its inspirin

I love the future, but sometimes, it is important to recognize the past. More than most, I pay attention to company history. I love our origin story and the twists and turns along the way. Understandi

Ever had a leader who was too involved in all of the details? We call that leader a micromanager. It can feel suffocating and unempowering. Ever had a leader who was aloof, uninvolved, with their head

Each week on this blog, I build my leadership brand. Whether you know it or not, that is what Im doing. I spend more time doing it than talking about how or why I do it. It occurred to me recently th

I was cleaning out my desk over the weekend and found some old relics of my professional past. I found a mix of trinkets, awards, business cards, certifications, and some old floppy disks. I flipped t